Thursday 9 March 2023

 

Book review: The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope by Luke Adam Hawker [blog tour]


Last year I was so thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Together by Luke Adam Hawker. A book about our times for our times. It was an highly emotional yet incredibly hopeful story about loneliness; showing that there is light in the darkness. The author's poignant images hit me with all the feels. And with his latest book, The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope, he has done it again. 

Olive lives in a world without trees. She goes to school, she rides the train home with her father, and she loses herself in her books at night. But one day she goes on an adventure with her class. They go to the Tree Museum, which was build by the last of the Tree Generation. And that's where Olive's story truly begins.

Luke Adam Hawker has once again created a story about something that's happening in our world right now to open our eyes before it's too late. This time it's not about supporting other human beings, it's about supporting the world we're so lucky to be living in. With climate change, deforestation, and urbanisation, it's not unfeasible to think that a world without trees is in our near future. And that would be horrific.


A world without these magnificent beings towering over us, giving us fresh oxygen, and providing shelter for a wealth of different woodland creatures... It would be an incredible loss to our planet and not one I am certain we would be able to overcome. Through the eyes of Olive we get to experience and appreciate trees all over again. So often overlooked and under-appreciated, this book rightfully so puts them in the spotlight and makes us think about how amazing they are and that we need to treasure them before it's too late.

Luke Adam Hawker's intricate black-and white sketches show us the many facets of the trees in incredible detail. With the branches extending beyond the pages, it's easy to get lost within his drawings. Thumbing through the pages of The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope at times feels just like if you'd wandered into a dense forest.

The drawings are emphasised by sparse but poignant words that tell Olive's story and make the reader feel hopeful despite the subject matter. Some of my favourites include: "Sometimes to reach the sky, you have to lose sight of the ground", "Shelter can be found in the darkest of places", and "Fears need not be faced alone".


While I realise that the drawings are, rightfully so, the stars of this beautiful book, I do wish there were more of these thoughtful written words on the page to get lost in. I wanted to know more about how Olive's world lost all its trees and the impact it had on people day-to-day and society at large. I realise that probably wasn't the point of the story, but my natural curiosity cannot help but wonder. That said, I adored the tale of Olive's adventure and particularly where we see her at the very end of the story.

The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope by Luke Adam Hawker is a gorgeous illustrated book celebrating the power of trees. Although it opens with a bleak world without trees, the extraordinary illustrations and touching words, leave readers with a seed of hope after they have turned the final page.



The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope by Luke Adam Hawker is published by ILEX (and imprint of Octopus Publishing Group) and you can now buy a copy from your favourite local book shop!

Blog tour stops for The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope by Luke Adam Hawker

This review for The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope is a part of the official blog tour for the launch of the book. Make sure to check out the other stops too!


Disclaimer: This book was gifted to me by the publisher, but this has not impacted this honest review.


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