The Tree

A delightful picture book with a wonderful twist which encourages young children to think about the way animals and humans live side by side.

The tree. Home to a family of birds in their nest, squirrels in their drey and rabbits in their burrow. But what happens to the animals when a man and woman decide to cut it down and use it for their dream house? Can the tree be home to both the animals and the humans? A simple yet fun and distinctive picture book, with a strong environmental message about the importance of respecting animal habitats, by the award-winning Neal Layton.

• At the book's heart is a strong environmental message, encouraging children to respect the natural world and the habitats of the animals that live alongside us.
• Neal has won or been shortlisted for many awards in the UK and around the world, including the Gold Smarties Award and the Prix du Jeune Lecteur.

About the Author

While Neal was growing up, he spent much of his time playing in the dirt, making homemade catapults and drawing pictures. He studied BA Graphic Design at Newcastle and MA Illustration at Central Saint Martins. His studio is a room in his house where he can make a mess. The walls are covered with pictures, drawings, scribbles, badges, photos, posters, packaging and anything else that he finds inspiring.

He uses all sorts of different media to make his illustrations: pencils, paint, pens, ink, pieces of collage, biros, photocopiers, cameras, a computer, bits of stick, old toothbrushes, dough, hair, leaves, anything that comes to hand… He likes his illustrations to appear as fresh and spontaneous as possible. He lives in Portsmouth with his family.