Wonderfully Wild – Perfect Picture Book Friday – Jilanne Hoffmann

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WONDERFULLY WILD brings to mind a Zen story that could very well be called “That Depends.” Something happens, and you view it as an unwanted, sad, or tragic event….but your view may change depending on what happens next. In this case we have a lovely old willow tree that’s borne witness to schoolyard events for years and years.

The old willow tree had stood in the schoolyard 
for as long as anyone could remember. 
When a breeze swept through,
its branches swayed
and tickled the tops of heads.
The tree was a gathering place,
a run-laps-around place,
a dream-under place.
Until one blustery night...

Uh oh. Who could resist turning the page?

Of course this is a tragic event! The children’s hearts are broken, just like the willow. But wait….wait….a voice of hope asks a question: “Can we grow new willows?”

Ah, yes. Optimism. Hope. Seeing a future of possibilities. Being resilient in spirit. I think it’s a wonderful quality to cultivate in our minds, no matter how old we are.

Suffice to say, the children take cuttings and patiently wait, caring for them, and yes, watching some of them die. Here is where a repeated line becomes a mantra of acceptance: “That’s just how things go, sometimes.” But each time they get back to work, continuing to care for the ones that thrive.

While they tend the cuttings, they make other changes to their schoolyard, changes that make it a little more wild by planting native grasses and flowers that are good for pollinators and birds. Trading much of the asphalt for greening. And then one day, when the tree cuttings are ready for transplanting into the schoolyard, there are far too many. What to do? Share with members of the community, of course! And so “the old willow tree lives on,” not only in their school yard, but “in backyards and parks across town.”

I gotta say, it made me tear up to see all the good that came out of what had originally been a tragic event. This book shows resilience in action, the best way to learn.

And the mantra: “That’s just how things go, sometimes” before returning to the work that needs to be done helps build that resilience. What a perfect metaphor for facing setbacks while not giving up the fight. A perfect metaphor for furthering social change/justice.

Masse’s appropriately earth-toned, yet vibrant and delicate artwork makes me want to get outside and work in my garden. And the metamorphosis of the schoolyard into a pollinator’s paradise is inspiring. Turning barren, asphalt schoolyards into more natural places for kids to play has become a focus in many cities, as schools become more eco conscious, and people rediscover just how cooling trees and other foliage can be. This book should help kids and adults create their own visions of greener spaces to work and play.

Activities:

Check out the resources for rewilding your schoolyard and/or backyard, offered by Green Schoolyards America.

Make an origami butterfly bookmark.

Pair with The Dirt Book by David L. Harrison, illus. by Kate Cosgrove, a nature-oriented picture book that focuses on the critters in that soil.

Pair with When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie Deenihan, illus. by Lorraine Rocha. How are these two books similar/different?

Title: Wonderfully Wild: Rewilding a School and a Community

Author: Jessica Stremer

Illustrator: Josée Masse

Publisher: Beach Lane Books, 2025

Ages: Prek thru elementary school

Themes: gardens, resilience, native plants

For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.