Category: Children's Picture Book
Hardcover | 32 pages | 979-8-90115-043-6
Trim Size: 11.0” H x 8.5” W
Publication Date: June 2th, 2026
List Price: $18.99 USD
Publisher: Starfish Bay® Publishing
Genre: Philosophical Fiction / Life Cycle Story
Reading Level: Grade 2-3
Interest Level: Grades K-5+ (extends to adult)
Guided Reading Level: J
Lexile® Measure: 540L
Accelerated Reader® Level/Poin: 2.9/0.5
A joyous celebration of life’s journey and the joys and sorrows of growing up, beautifully told through the metaphor of a tiny tree who longs to be bigger.
In this moving tale of friendship, nature, and the cycle of life, a little seedling longs to be bigger. A big tree tells him to be patient, assuring him that one day, he will have his day in the sun.
Time passes, and through sun and rain, the little tree grows. The little and big trees weather life’s storms side-by-side, until one journey is finally complete and a new one is ready to begin.
Big Tree, Little Tree is a lyrical and life-affirming story of the joys and sorrows of growing up and the importance of being patient and enjoying the wonderous journey of life.
Marcus Addison is an Australian author from a little place called The Shire. As a Master’s student of Creative Writing at Sydney University he loves writing about many things but almost always about trees. His dream is to cover the earth in green again. He was a kid once too, you know, and vowed never to grow up. So far so good! Now he is ‘not-so-little’ himself and has four children of his own. They are his inspiration now, and he believes it is this chosen generation (which is you), that will bring nature back into balance throughout the world. He is currently writing a middle grade novel that is, no surprise, narrated by the trees. He hopes his broad life experience in finance, teaching, and healthcare enriches his writing of people and nature.
Sejung Kim is an illustrator from South Korea, now living and working in France. She specializes in children’s literature and has collaborated with numerous French and international publishing houses. Always on the lookout for inspiring projects for young and old alike, she aspires to create images that resonate with the child in all of us.
Key Features:
- An engaging story that explores the life cycle of a tree as it grows from seed to sapling, fed and nurtured by water and sunlight.
- A joyful celebration of the cycle of life, with all its joys and sorrows, exploring the impatience of the young and the wisdom that comes from experience.
- A life-affirming story of friendship, the relationship between young and old, and wisdom passed down through the generations.
Themes:
- Patience and the passage of time - growth cannot be rushed
- Finding purpose and meaning - "your day in the sun" metaphor
- Intergenerational wisdom - learning from elders, becoming mentors
- The cycle of life and death - natural progression, not tragedy
- Legacy and continuity - passing knowledge to the next generation








