More than a Tree

PreS-Gr 3–How can a tree be more than a tree? When it’s loved and appreciated by a young girl and her family. Using rich language and onomatopoeia, Kurpiel shares the story of how the family loves a big oak tree in their backyard. One day, the tree starts telling a different kind of story and must be cut down. The girl, with tan skin and dark hair, wants to save what she can and starts collecting leaves. That helps ease the pain of loss, but the loss is still there. Eventually, new things start to grow where the tree once stood, and the loss of the tree lessens over time. The lovely pastel artwork mirrors the gentle spirit of this story, which also comes with a message of hope and responsibility. Readers will be reminded of other books about trees over a lifetime, including Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree and Jessica Stremer’s Wonderfully Wild, but this one has its own quietly joyful message of shared family experiences and the healing that comes over time.