The Tree That Was a World

The interconnected stories of seventeen creatures all living and dreaming underneath the same tree.

The tree is as old as the world, covered in cracks and crevices--and full of life. A sloth hangs on a branch all day but longs to somersault through the woods. The moon moth caterpillar watches her friends shed their skins and decides to do things differently. The barn swallow feels like she's lost something--but can't remember what. The common toad disagrees with his name--and the duck-billed platypus might have something to say about that. The red squirrel has the strangest sense that he might be a human--for one, that looks like a watch on his wrist! Wherever you look in this tree, another creature has a thought, a dream, a decision, a question...

With spectacular art by New York Times/NYPL Best Illustrated awardee Jeska Verstegen, this middle-grade novel will charm readers with its imaginative storytelling and extraordinary cast of animal characters. Hilarious, surreal, and thought-provoking, The Tree That Was a World is an utterly unforgettable book.

Author: Yorick Goldewijk
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Published: 10/14/2025
Pages: 88
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.64lbs
Size: 6.21h x 8.74w x 0.49d
ISBN: 9780802856500
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2025
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 09/01/2025
Booklist 08/01/2025
Foreword 08/25/2025

About the Author

Yorick Goldewijk is a Dutch writer and music composer whose books include Movies Showing Nowhere (Pushkin), which the Guardian called "strikingly original" and The Times named a best children's book of the year. He hopes that The Tree That Was a World serves as an ode to curiosity and the small bits of wonder that lie hidden everywhere around us. Follow Yorick on Instagram @yorickgoldewijk..

Jeska Verstegen is the author of I'll Keep You Close (Levine Querido) and the illustrator of over 100 books. Bear Is Never Alone (Eerdmans) was named a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book and a Bank Street College Best Children's Book. She lives in Amsterdam. Visit her website at jeskaverstegen.nl or follow her on Instagram @jeska_verstegen.

Laura Watkinson translates books for children and adults from Dutch, German, and Italian. Her translations have received numerous honors, including three Mildred L. Batchelder Awards and the Vondel Translation Prize. She is the founder of the Dutch chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SBCWI). Laura lives in Amsterdam. Visit her website at laurawatkinson.com.