The Boy and the Banyan Tree
Book Blog

Reminiscent of another book about a tree, The Boy and The Banyan Tree strikes a healthy balance between being supportive, and teaching children about the importance of putting in the effort needed to be successful in life.

In our fast-paced world, it can be easy to forget that some of the most important skills are the ones that take practice, persistence and patience. It can also be hard as a parent to know when to stop, step back, and let your child fail so that they can get back up again and try until they succeed. For more on this idea check out Tara’s Take: Supporting Success in Young Children.

In the story, the boy builds a relationship with a banyan tree where she is a confident guide, who encourages him to do hard things and build important life skills. As the story progresses, she never solves his challenges for him, instead she helps him to see possible solutions and to seek out kindness in his journey.

This story is just as much for parents as it is for children. It highlights the importance of building respectful relationships that foster independence without losing connection.

With beautiful illustrations and an important message, it's the perfect book for building having conversations about working towards goals, building community and carrying kindness through your journey.

This book was gifted to me by Scholastic Canada. All thoughts, reflections and ideas are my own.