The Wish Trees: How Planting Trees Can Help Make the World a Better Place

by Andrea Koehle Jones, Alicia Padrón (Illustrator)

A Nonfiction Children’s Book Celebrating Tree Planting — A Perfect Read for Earth Day and Every Day!

"Planting a tree is an act of hope. And that is a message our children need to hear now more than ever."— Andrea Koehle Jones

Inspiring and uplifting, The Wish Trees is rooted in the idea that every child can help make the world a better place. This whimsical children's book introduces young readers to the fun of tree planting as they meet kids around the globe planting Wish Trees and making wishes.

Kids will discover the wonder of trees and enjoy searching for different animals and tree names with each new page. Thoughtful, empowering and beautifully written by journalist and children's environmental education advocate Andrea Koehle Jones, The Wish Trees features illustrations by New York Times best-selling illustrator Alicia Padrón. The Wish Trees: How Planting Trees Can Help Make the World a Better Place is inspiring little tree planters and wishers everywhere.

Children's nonfiction tree planting book teaches kids how to plant a tree and help others.

Young children will fall in love with trees, learn how trees can help our planet and begin to understand that they are never too little to help the world. This second edition of The Wish Trees includes a bonus: “How to Plant a Wish Tree.”

100% of profits from this book will be donated to children's environmental education and tree planting non-profits including The ChariTree Foundation.

Discover how to plant a tree

Young children will fall in love with trees, learn how trees can help our planet and begin to understand that they are never too little to help the world. This second edition of The Wish Trees children's tree planting book includes a bonus: “How to Plant a Wish Tree.”

100% of profits from this nonfiction STEM book will be donated to The ChariTree Foundation and other children's environmental education and tree planting projects.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Environment

30 pages, Paperback, Kindle

First published May 22, 2008

About the author

Andrea Koehle Jones writes joyful, big-hearted picture books that spark empathy, grow hope, and inspire kids to care for each other—and the world around them, one tree at a time.

She is a Canadian author, journalist, and award-winning advocate for children’s environmental education. A former daily newspaper reporter and photojournalist, she later worked as a writer-producer for CBC Newsworld and CBC Kids.

Andrea is the author of The Wish Trees: How Planting Trees Can Help Make the World a Better Place (2021) and Don’t Let Ned Plant a Tree THERE! (June 2026).

Set at Summerhill Farm, Don’t Let Ned Plant a Tree THERE!turns the calm rhythm of tree planting into a laugh-out-loud, high-energy adventure. Set at Summerhill Farm, Don’t Let Ned Plant a Tree THERE! turns the calm rhythm of tree planting into a laugh-out-loud, high-energy adventure—bursting with Erin Mercer’s lively illustrations and a playful, repeating rhyme.Kids and grown-ups alike will jump in, laugh along, and cheer their way through a story that celebrates teamwork, problem-solving, and caring for the world around us.

Andrea is the founder of the ChariTree Foundation and has supported children’s environmental education initiatives across rural South Africa, Zambia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nepal. She is also an advisor to the UNICEF Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education.

A Women for Nature mentor and United Nations Climate Observer, she brings a global perspective to storytelling grounded in hope, action, and the power of young voices—and is continually inspired by the children she meets who are helping the world.

Happy diggity-digging!

Reviews

[Mai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plant a wishing tree ,beautiful book :)

[Kate Allen Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and text pair to show the wonderful ways children can connect with nature through a single wish tree. The text is poetic and soothing, but simple enough for young listeners and young independent readers. A great gift for nature-loving kids and a wonderful addition to any classroom, library, or home.

[Charla Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should plant a wish tree!

What a beautiful book and a beautiful inspiration! My granddaughters and I will be planting wish trees. One for each of them so that as they grow up we can also be blessed with the beauty of their trees!

[Nura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yuk, kita menanam pohon. tadi baca berita ini rasanya sedih. gimana kalau nggak beberapa lama lagi prediksi itu benar-benar terjadi? masa mau makan rambutan kudu ke Thailand dulu.

***

suka warnanya yg soft banget. kayak es krim.

[SeatoSkySailor10 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children’s tree planting book beautifully introduces children to the wonder of trees and the power of tree planting.

This is a wonderful book that introduces children to the importance of trees to our planet and the idea that you are never too little to help the world.

This darling little book is inspiring little tree planters and wishers everywhere. The focus on wishes we make throughout our life is fun. Simple, sweet wishes… wishes for shelter from storms, for friendship, for direction when we are lost and lightning blue mountain bikes too!

My children LOVE this global tree planting book. The text is simple enough for the youngest listeners and early readers. I love that The Wish Trees is thoughtfully written by a children’s environmental education advocate and beautifully illustrated by a New York Times best-selling illustrator.

I highly recommend The Wish Trees: How Planting Trees Can Help Make the World a Better Place to babies, young children, parents, teachers, everyone.... And I love that the author gives away so many copies to children and supports children’s environmental education projects around the world. Inspiring!


The Wish Trees: How Planting Trees Can Help Make the World a Better Place
Andrea Koehle Jones

[Helen Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wish Tree is a wonderful book, inspiring children to think about how trees keep our planet healthy. The idea of a wish tree and the beautiful illustrations is inspirational in educating children. All proceeds go to environmental education. Well worth reading to your child and then planting a wish tree.

[Deb Blenkhorn]

This is a wonderful book for all ages, with an inspiring and timely theme of caring for the world we live in. Young children especially will love the gentle story and enjoy the colourful illustrations. I highly recommend The Wish Trees!

[Rosario · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it... I have a two year old girl and read a small paragraph before she goes to sleep. I finished and and we enjoyed every second of it. It has so much imagination and very simple. I want a tree ♥

[Famma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book which will make you do something good after reading it. A book with message for all. Its quite amusing and the illustrations are fantastic.

[Vim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reminds me...I want to plant a tree in our garden. :) Such simple but environmental and inspirational book.

[Fire_Dragon_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ooh, an Eco-friendly children's book? "We are all planting Wish Trees...And it's our greatest wish that you'll plant one too"

[Halah A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for a book for my niece , so that she can improve her English reading skill. i think the book is amazing with it's simple sentences , and beautiful drawings . thank you :)

[Geraldine Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations and a sweet book of wishes.

I won this book as a goodreads giveaway.

[Henriette Ivanans · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Wish Trees" is a poetic children's book with a critical message. Through thoughtful text and exquisite illustrations, the reader is reminded of the value of planting trees. But there's a twist! Why not personalize your seedling with a wish? A "spiritual fertilizer" of sorts? Trees to carry us to the clouds? Play hide and seek? Or nourish the world with food? It made me reflect upon the tree planted after my father's death, and I realized my Wish Tree is that we may grow healthy and strong. May all our wishes fertilize the world with sustenance and grace. Thank you, Koehle Jones for this wonderful mediation on the importance of giving back to our world.

[Suhasini Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wish Trees: How Planting Trees Can Help Make the World a Better Place by Andrea Jones, illustrated by Alicia Padrón, is a beautifully written ode to the power of planting wish trees. This book is sure to inspire readers to plant a tree today—because trees are not just part of nature, they are protectors, givers, lifelong friends, teachers, and so much more. Children will discover the many ways trees play a vital role in our lives and existence, helping them appreciate these green giants even more. The backmatter is especially resourceful, offering guidance on how to plant and care for a tree.

[Mariana Ríos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet book written by Andrea Koehle Jones and illustrated by Alicia Padrón is beautiful, inspiring, and heartwarming. It's a perfect reminder of the role trees play in our daily lives, the relationship humans can have with nature, and the wishes and actions we can take to make the world a better place.

I particularly love that instructions to plant a tree are included in the backmatter. I think readers would enjoy planting a tree with their families, schools, or communities.

[oohlalabooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book to read with my kids. It allowed us to ask questions and use it as a learning tool. The pictures are colorful and the sentences are easy to understand.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 A very nice book with lovely illustrations. I loved that it taught children about what they can do to help improve the world.

[Catarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very cute book about trees and the wishes we make will planting them. it's also a book that invites it's readers to plant a tree and is there for a very educational book because it shows children the importance trees have in our life. Specially when the child is very small and doesn't understand yet the concept of trees providing oxygen, these story will show them other things trees can do for us.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book on a fiveaway so thank to goodreads and to the authors!
Is a good bok for kids, the moral of environnement friendly is great but it dont really have a story, even for a kid book so that why i only give three stars to it. The imge are beautiful with pastel colors and good graphic.

[Yara Sami · Rating 5 out of 5]

بعطيه خمس نجوووووم . أحلى شجره كانت الشجره الزهريه !!!

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i give it 5 stars . my favorite drawing is the one with the pink tree !!!

[Macy Sirek]

it was a good book and I would read it angan