The Hugging Tree tells the story of a little tree growing all alone on a cliff, by a vast and mighty sea. Through thundering storms and the cold of winter, the tree holds fast. Sustained by the natural world and the kindness and compassion of one little boy, eventually the tree grows until it can hold and shelter others. The resilience of the Hugging Tree calls to mind the potential in all of us: to thrive, despite times of struggle and difficulty. To nurture the little spark of hope and resolve. To dream and to grow, just where we are. A Note to Parents and Caregivers by Elizabeth McCallum provides more information about resilience, and guidelines for building resilience in children.

Author Biography

Jill Neimark is an author of fiction and nonfiction, an award-winning science journalist and essayist, and former features editor at Psychology Today magazine. Her credits include the middle-grade novels The Secret Spiral and The Golden Rectangle, the adult novel Bloodsong, which was a Book of the Month Club selection and published in five countries, and the adult nonfiction title Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Giving (coauthored with bioethicist Stephen Post, PhD). It was awarded the Kama Prize in Medical Humanities by World Literacy Canada in 2008. This is her third picture book for Magination Press. Nicole Wong is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Her illustrations have been featured in several children's books, including No Monkeys, No Chocolate and Ferry Tail. Nicole lives with her husband, daughter, and their dogs and cat in Massachusetts.