When all of God’s crea­tures choose lead­ers to rule them, each of the trees vies for a pre­em­i­nent posi­tion. The oak thinks its prodi­gious strength qual­i­fies it to assume the role; the pine is far-see­ing; the maple is renowned for its beau­ty; the fig and the date palm know how impor­tant it is that they pro­vide sus­te­nance and nutri­tion. But the olive, the hum­ble, mod­est, qui­et olive under­stands the supreme impor­tance of pro­vid­ing light through its oil and, ulti­mate­ly, all the trees acknowl­edge the olive’s suprema­cy. ​“Let there be light,” they all chant when they real­ize illu­mi­na­tion is vital to all. 

An author’s note dis­cuss­es lead­er­ship and exam­ines what makes an effec­tive leader. It asks the read­er to con­sid­er: if each had the pow­er to choose, which tree would they opt for and why would they make that par­tic­u­lar selec­tion? Which lead­er­ship traits ben­e­fit the entire group in the most cru­cial ways?

Pithy and laden with val­ues, this alle­go­ry pro­vides mate­r­i­al for thought and dis­cus­sion. It is accom­pa­nied by col­or­ful illus­tra­tions that evoke a lush, green Edenic world, and presents a rich can­vas for the imaginatio