AWARDSA Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2023! "An enchanting wordless tale of friendship… Unfurling across 11 short sections, Balint Zsako's elegant, richly colored story-pictures are full of gratifying surprises for readers ages 7 and older... [Bunny and Tree] embark on a long-distance odyssey that ought to be impossible but, in this glorious and uplifting adventure, makes perfect practical and emotional sense."
Wall Street Journal

A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2023! "Zsako’s color-saturated tale — told in nine wordless acts, plus a prologue and an epilogue, over 184 pages — is epic in scope, yet grounded in real, intimate emotion. His vivid, changing watercolor skyscapes capture not only the passage of time, but also the emotional state of his titular characters, who together demonstrate growth, courage, sacrifice and the true meaning of family and community."
2023 NYT/NYPL Best Illustrated jury & NYPL children’s librarian

Balint Zsako is a Publishers Weekly Spring 2023 Flying Start! "Bunny & Tree (Enchanted Lion) is a wordless hand-painted picture book nearly 200 pages long that overflows with conceptual fireworks and deep emotion... The idea to tell a story in paintings grew out of nightly sessions with his young son Gus as he read him classic picture books. 'Even the most sophisticated books depend on language,' he says. 'Out of curiosity, I asked myself: Can I be as sophisticated telling stories with pictures only?’ ... Now Zsako is waiting to see how children respond to Bunny & Tree. 'I’m super curious,' he says. 'It’s such a puzzle. Kids have the capacity and even a hunger for the unusual and unexpected...' As an artist, he’s gratified by another benefit offered by the picture book. 'To make something that somebody can look at, at their own speed, in a place that’s safe to them—there’s something really appealing about that.'"
Publishers Weekly, Flying Start

A White Ravens Selection of 2024! "This gorgeous wordless tome is a magical story of the friendship between a white rabbit and a majestic deciduous tree. Over 178 pages (!), the story of their joint adventure slowly unfolds in a succession of charming, single-page and double-page spreads... The colorful illustrations, in pen and acrylic inks, portray the eponymous figures placed against glowing backgrounds that exude a warm watercolor-y feel. The heroes communicate through body language, facial expressions (astonishing how the tree’s eyes and posture express emotions!), and a witty pictorial language. Balint Zsako’s debut picture book is a true masterpiece!"
The White Ravens, A Selection of International Children's and Youth Literature (Internationale Jugendbibliothek)