The Tree and the River

This wordless picture book watches a civilization change around a tree beside a river. A family’s house and livestock enclosure grow into a settlement with a castle, dam, and later industrial development. Steam engines, aircraft, cars, electricity, skyscrapers, highways, and a canal reshape the landscape as the town becomes a city. The aged tree remains on a small grassy patch until freezing and flooding submerge much of the area, leaving mud and ruins after the waters retreat.