The Tree and the River, written and illustrated by Aaron Becker. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House, 2023. $24.99 ages 5 and up

"A mighty tree stands on the banks 
of a winding river, bearing silent 
witness to the flow of time and 
change."

This wordless book has as its only constants the tree and the river. Powerful imagination and stellar illustrations allow readers to see what the tree sees through countless years of continuous change. 

In the beginning, it stands alone on the banks of the river. With each turn of the page, the scenes change to chronicle the growth of communities (one agricultural, one industrial), the overcrowding, the significant environmental impact, impending war, technological advancements, and devastating floods and destruction. 

The tree is impacted as well. It remains tall and standing even as weather and human encroachment cause it to lose its leaves, and finally it succumbs to the effects of flooding and its age. Wait, are those new leaves sprouting from a single healthier-than-others branch; is that an acorn falling into the flowing river; is that a new tree shoot poking up at a place downriver? It is ... and life begins again. There is always hope. 

As we have learned from earlier books by this very accomplished artist, he creates incredible and imaginative stories using pencil, gouache and digitally painted images that inspire, encourage and cause his audience to carefully consider all that can be said without saying a word. Remarkable!