Only a Tree Knows How to Be a Tree

This rhythmic book considers what makes different living things themselves. Birds build nests, sing, hatch from eggs, and fly; trees, dogs, fish, water, and the earth are likewise presented as distinct. It also notes differences among members of the same kind, such as individual trees, birds, fish, dogs, and cats. The narrative extends this idea to people, saying that each person knows how to be themselves, and the illustrations include many kinds of human diversity.