de eik was hier (the oak was here)
Author: Bibi Dumon-Tak
Illustrator: Marije Tolman
Original language: Dutch
Translated into English: not
Published: March 2021
Publishers: Querido
ISBN13: 9789045125329
Price: € 10.99 (HC)
Age: 10 years and up
The old summer oak in the story the oak was here by Bibi Dumon Tak is a real oak. It stands in the middle of the highway near Ulvenhout in the Netherlands. In this book the oak tells his own story to a jay, which rests often in its branches.
It is a very special story, because the oak is almost 200 years old and originally stood in the middle of a forest. When the highway was built, bit by bit all the trees were cut down, all the trees, except the oak!
In the story it becomes clear what role the oak plays in the life of the animals (read birds and insects), but also in the lives of the people who drive on the highway. The beautiful illustrations by Marije Tolman add a lot to the charm of the book. They make the story lively and although they are in black and white, they brighten the book.
3 bright shining stars for de eik was hier (the oak was here), from the young listeners and their readers!