Shortlisted for the 2026 Wainwright Prize, this is a tremendous story about bravery, hope and the wonders of the natural world.

In the author's acknowledgements, Piers Torday points to the Sycamore Gap tree of Hadrian's Wall, the Mark Twain tree (the stump left behind in a National Park in California) and all the other trees which have been felled by humans during our lifetimes. He points to 17 per cent of the Amazon Rainforest lost in the last 50 years through deforestation, and the fact that for every 25 books printed, one tree is felled. He has been campaigning, he says, to make publishing books out of paper more sustainable and soon we will be able to identify which forest and which tree a book came from.  

For the story of 'Tree Thing'...

Marlo lives in a landscape which is barren and scorched. Nothing grows here and the people are struggling to survive. 

But Marlo's friendly squirrel, Rinti, manages to bring the family a few scrapings of food he scavenges here and there. One day the squirrel finds an emerald acorn which Marlo plants and is amazed to see the Tree Thing grow from it. 

A magical, mystical tree, it brings hope and life in abundance. 

But a dark, sinister figure, the Rider comes wielding his axe, threatening to take everything. Marlo needs all his bravery and ingenuity to save the Tree Thing and all it offers to the land, its wildlife and the people. 

This is a beautiful book. There are illustrations on every page, a gripping, compelling story which is simply told and perfectly paced. And there's a nostalgic feel to the tale, a classic story in the making. Loved it.

I also recommend 'The Last Wild' by Piers Torday.