The Tree for Ryzhik

Once upon a time, the little squirrel Ryzhik found a tall and beautiful tree. How happy he was! Such a great tree – just for him alone. He would live here, enjoying the silence, peace, and complete freedom, and no one would disturb him!

But soon it turned out that this wonderful tree was liked not only by Ryzhik. The birds, who loved to rest on its branches, considered the tree their home. And the caterpillars, who ate the tasty leaves. And the bugs, who lived under the bark. And the animals, who came to scratch their backs against the rough trunk… No, Ryzhik was not going to share the tree with neighbors. So he decided to go in search of another home – just for himself alone.

However, he could not go far. Suddenly, Ryzhik fell into the paws of a leopard, who, strangely enough, also considered the tree exclusively his own, as he loved to rest in its cool shade. Moreover, the predator was sure that all the inhabitants of the tree also belonged to him, the leopard… How wrong he was. None of the insects and small animals living in the tree considered themselves anyone's property. By joining forces, they not only saved Ryzhik but also chased away the leopard forever.

This book will provide an opportunity to talk to your child about important things: the desire to possess and the ability to share; about living alone and in close proximity. In other words, about life in society, in shared space, whether it be a family, a home, a whole city, or even our entire planet.

Additionally, this picture book can be played with like a Wimmelbuch. Who can show and name all the insects and animals on the tree? And here’s a task for the most attentive: starting from the very first spread, find the gray squirrel on the pages of the book that has been secretly watching Ryzhik from the dense foliage all the way.