This is a charming, touching story about an imaginative boy whose best friend is an oak tree named Bertolt. The boy admits to being an outlier among his peers, but insists that while he is alone, he is never lonely. Being independent suits him, and he considers his difference to be his advantage. A daily refuge is his tree, Bertolt, who provides him a literal and metaphorical vantage point from which to observe the world. Bertolt gives by simply being--he is host to the boy's imaginative adventuring. In springtime, when Bertolt's leaves are abundant and communities of animals make their homes in the tree's nooks and branches, the boy tucks himself away to observe everyday happenings, like the mischievous Tucker twins stealing bottles and the mailman setting down traps. He remains plucky and unbothered, even as he says goodbye to Bertolt for the winter season. After the last frost, when the trees are in bloom, the boy notices that Bertolt is yet bare, and comes to the conclusion that his tree must have died. The boy's strong spirit manifests itself in his desire to honor his friend's life and generosity, revealing to readers the real, sweet mutuality of this friendship. This book is about the imagination and the wonderful ways in which we nurture ourselves in the process of becoming who we are, and because Bertolt dies in a winter's storm, it is also a book about finitude and loss, sorrow and acceptance. Goldstyn Jacques was born in 1958 in Saint-Eugene Argentenay. A graduate of the University of Montreal, he worked in petroleum geology. In 1981, he illustrated his first book: Les Debrouillards, a collection with a scientific bent. He has illustrated numerous books about the same cast of characters, and works with the press as well.

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About the Author
Jacques Goldstyn was born and raised in Montreal. His father taught him how to draw and he drew all the time. Every single day. He then studied seriously, became a geologist and went off to work in gold mines in Abitibi and in the petroleum industry in Alberta. But then, one day, he started to draw again. For many years now, his work has been drawing cartoons for Les Debrouillards and Les Explorateurs, science youth magazines in French Canada. He also writes and illustrates stories for kids age six to 106. He loves running, hiking, and climbing trees, and has never stopped collecting bizarre looking rocks.

Reviews
"Humor, contemplation, and masterful illustrations."- STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews "Crowning the canon of arboreal allegories is Bertolt by French-Canadian geologist-turned-artist Jacques Goldstyn - the uncommonly tender story of an ancient tree named Bertolt and the boy who named and loved it. From Goldstyn's simple words and the free, alive, infinitely expressive line of his illustrations radiates a profound parable of belonging, reconciling love and loss, and savoring solitude without suffering loneliness."- Maria Popova, Brain Pickings "A lovely look at introversion, imagination and the power of being different and embracing it."-Waking Brain Cells "Goldstyn manages to convey a world of emotions in his detailed drawings, and captures the feelings of childhood-both its playfulness and imagination, as well as the sense of smallness that comes with being a child in a world of adults."- Bernie Goedhart, Postmedia "It is an intimate book that implores you to read it in hushed tones with quiet pauses. Its sadness holds beauty; its sweetness never threatens to become saccharine. Bertolt is a truly exceptional exploration of ephemerality."- Serah-Marie McMahon, STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire "Goldstyn's playful prose is similarly nuanced, alternating between humor, palpable admiration for the natural world, unflinching honesty, and in the story's final spreads, no words at all. Reworking notions of both loss and what it means to be alone, this is an imaginative, introspective, and quietly profound paean to life's little wonders."- Briana Shemroske, STARRED REVIEW, Booklist



Book Information
ISBN 9781592702299
Author Jacques Goldstyn
Format Hardback
Page Count 80
Imprint Enchanted Lion Books
Publisher Enchanted Lion Books
Weight(grams) 283g