Treeshape

Written and illustrated by Trace Balla

A & U Children 2026

Reviewed by Jess Galatola

Reading Treeshape left me feeling deeply connected not just to the natural world, but to something even bigger. A cause. A charge. A shared responsibility to be a custodian of our planet. When I closed the book, I wanted to walk outside and press my bare feet into the earth. It made me think about the way my children love to climb and explore trees. It’s an intrinsic desire in them to explore, connect, and be close to the natural world. This story is a timely reminder that we are part of nature rather than separate from it. Few books create such a stunning, visceral experience.

Trace Balla’s deeply layered graphic novel is a memoir filled with journal entries, lyrical reflections and expressive illustrations. These combined tell a story that creates the sensation of leafing through an artist’s field notebook. Every sketch, memory and observation is an act of paying attention to the natural world and understanding our place in it.

The handwritten pages, maps, watercolours, photographs and collected fragments invite readers to slow down and notice the beauty and significance of the living world around them, asking them to reflect on the fact that some things are greater than us. The way Balla describes and names trees as if they were her family members is truly heartwarming and made me recall a few favourite trees from my own childhood. Old friends that I had nearly forgotten.

This is a book that invites many readers to take part in the story and to act in whatever small, personal way possible. It’s ideal for upper primary and secondary students, and for adults who enjoy a beautifully crafted graphic novel. As an educational resource, this title spans across learning areas. It could be used in the English classroom (particularly for units on memoir writing), as well as for studies in History, The Arts and Hass. It covers topics such as sustainability, First Nations histories, war, immigration, culture and connection.

I would recommend this story to any reader who is looking for a chance to take a breath, slow down and feel inspired. What resonated deeply for me was Balla’s willingness to examine her own story with honesty and compassion. She reflects on her mother’s struggle with severe depression, her father’s experience as a migrant, as well as the plight of her Jewish grandparents and their experiences during the war. These family histories sit alongside her own reflections, creating a memoir that acknowledges inherited trauma while also celebrating resilience, identity and belonging.

Balla doesn’t shy away from political realities either. Her reflections on environmental destruction, injustice and the treatment of Country stirred both frustration and hope in me. Treeshape never feels overwhelming or dispiriting. Instead, it continually returns to the possibility of reconnection, with ourselves, with one another and with the world.

This is not a memoir driven solely by plot. It’s a deep and personal observation of the world, delivered with curiosity and care. It asks readers to look more closely, listen deeply and recognise the stories held within landscapes, families and communities. Long after I finished reading, I found myself carrying its message with me.  It has left me with a call to do better, be better, be present. This story is a beautiful reminder that belonging begins with our connection to and care of the earth.