Last Tree In the City

Peter Carnavas (author/illustrator)

New Frontier Publishing, Australia: 2010

ISBN: 9781921042218

Genres: picture book

Issues: environment

This charming picture book, with its minimal text, draws the reader into Edward's world - a world filled with the colourless, featureless structures: a city without gardens. There remains one tree, a tree that is Edward's safe place, his world, where he can live and breathe and imagine. Then comes the day when that tree, too, has been removed. How will Edward survive? And can he inspire other city-dwellers to improve the world around them?

The contrast between the sepia tones of the faceless city buildings, cars, sometimes even the people, and the bright colours of Edward, his duck and his tree, reflects the power of hope and imagination. Instead of fading into the bleakness of his surroundings, the loss of his tree inspires Edward to lead by example and spread that hope and imagination, infusing the city and its people with colour, life, and the connections that make a place a community. Above all, Last Tree in the City spreads the message that one small person really can make a difference - sometimes just by being themselves. This is a powerful, optimistic, encouraging story for readers of all ages.

Highly recommended.