The Tree of a Hundred Horses

“They call me the Hundred Horses Tree, for legend has it that a lady and a hundred knights once found shelter beneath my branches during a storm. Perhaps it’s true—so many have passed by: horses, princesses, toads, spiders. Everything that lives and moves has shared its story with me. Standing still, I have met the world.

And right now, in this very moment, you and I have met too.”

The tree of a hundred horses is a thousand-year-old tree: silent and proud, it has travelled far, even though it has never moved. In its long life it has seen pass before it; animals, men and women, children, airplanes, ships and insects. It has resisted against war, eruptions, fires, attacks on time, bad weather and man. Its thousand-year history tells the Story of all stories, it unveils the absurdities of being human, it demonstrates a new point of view of things. The tables fill with shapes, colours and different styles that gradually mute themselves as time goes by.

Rights sold: Simplified Chinese language

Key Selling Points:

– A Story from a Living Legend: The book is inspired by a real, 2,200-year-old chestnut tree on Mount Etna, recognized by UNESCO as a “Monument Messenger of Peace.” This blend of natural history and ancient legend (the Queen and her 100 knights) makes it a captivating narrative based on a unique world heritage site.

– The Wisdom of Stillness: Through a powerful first-person perspective, the tree becomes a silent witness to centuries of human history. It offers a profound philosophical message for children: one can “travel” the world and understand humanity simply by staying still and observing with patience and empathy.

– Gek Tessaro’s Award-Winning Artistry: Created by one of Italy’s most renowned illustrators (Andersen Prize winner), the book features a stunning evolution of styles. As time passes, the illustrations change in color, form, and decoration, mirroring the flow of history and the tree’s shifting point of view.

– A Universal Peace Manifesto: By “unmasking human absurdities” (like wars and environmental destruction) through the eyes of nature, the story serves as a gentle yet firm educational tool to foster environmental awareness, historical memory, and a culture of peace.

Author & Illustrator

Gek Tessaro is a multi-award-winning Italian author and illustrator, renowned for his unique ability to blend poetic storytelling with profound philosophical and social reflection. His work is characterized by a distinctive, rhythmic rhymes that serve as the heartbeat of his narratives, making his voice unmistakable in the landscape of children’s literature.

Tessaro’s poetics move between two complementary poles. On one hand, he offers a celebration of “deep ecology,” inviting readers to rediscover the vibrant world hidden beneath their feet. On the other, his work carries a bold, almost anarchic streak, using poetry to dismantle the absurdity of war and the narrow-mindedness of the adult world. Through a delicate yet piercing irony, he champions individual freedom and the courage to remain “outside the box.”

Central to Tessaro’s vision is the shift in perspective. Whether he is giving a voice to a tiny insect or questioning the logic of power, he always speaks from “half a meter tall” – the perfect height to bridge the gap between the small and the great. This stance allows him to teach empathy and resistance simultaneously: a child’s breath can be a storm for a ladybug, just as a child’s imagination can be the ultimate defense against the grey rigidity of adulthood.

His books – often transformed into immersive live projection theater performances –  transform beetles, dreamers, and rebels into protagonists of a grand, moving stage. A recipient of the prestigious Andersen Prize and twice selected for the White Ravens catalogue, Gek Tessaro continues to prove that telling stories in rhyme is not just an aesthetic choice, but a powerful act of freedom.