A Tree is Nice is a children's picture book written by Janice May Udry and illustrated by Marc Simont. It was published by Harper and Brothers in 1956, and won the Caldecott Medal in 1957.[1] The book tells Udry's poetic opinion on why trees are nice:

A Tree is Nice
Front cover
AuthorJanice May Udry
IllustratorMarc Simont
Cover artistMarc Simont
GenreChildren's picture book
PublisherHarper and Brothers
Publication date
1956
Publication placeUnited States
ISBN0-06-443147-9
OCLC29000764

"Trees are pretty. They fill up the sky. If you have a tree, you can climb up its trunk, roll in its leaves, or hang a swing from one of its limbs. Cows and babies can nap in the shade of a tree. Birds can make nests in the branches. A tree is good to have around. A tree is nice."

For their part, Marc Simont's illustrations emphasize the child-like charm of Udry's words. Half of the book's illustrations are in full color, and the paintings of the trees shows just how nice a tree can be.[2]

In a retrospective essay about the Caldecott Medal-winning books from 1956 to 1965, Norma R. Fryatt wrote, "The book becomes one of the most convincing sermons on conservation yet done for young children."[3]

References

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  1. ^ American Library Association: Caldecott Medal Winners, 1938 - Present Archived 2011-10-18 at the Wayback Machine. URL accessed 27 May 2009.
  2. ^ "A Tree Is Nice (Rise and Shine)". Goodreads. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  3. ^ Fryatt, Norma R. (1965). "Picture Books Today". In Kingman, Lee (ed.). Newbery and Caldecott Medal Books: 1956-1965. Boston: The Horn Book, Incorporated. p. 272. LCCN 65-26759.
Awards
Preceded by Caldecott Medal recipient
1957
Succeeded by