You Are Not Alone

Powerful and uplifting, this lyrical story from an acclaimed illustrator follows a solitary tree through the patient, wondrous ways nature endures—reminding readers that life always finds a way to begin again.

Where a great forest once grew, only one tree remains, perched on a quiet cliff overlooking the sea. Its roots reach deep into the soil and it whispers to the Earth, “Am I alone?” The Earth listens and answers. She stirs the grasses, ripples the waves, and sends a powerful wind to carry seeds through the air. Thunder rolls, rain falls, and tiny sprouts begin to push through the damp ground.

Little by little, flowers bloom, bees hum and build, and small animals make their homes among the roots and branches. When years have passed and life has returned to the cliffside, the tree offers the Earth a loving “Thank you,” knowing it is no longer alone.

In her first picture book as author and illustrator, Kate Gardiner crafts a story that is both timeless and profoundly aware. Readers will be drawn to its gentle rhythms and unfolding sense of wonder, discovering in it a quiet reflection on how hope and life take root again, even after loss.