The Gravity Tree: The True Story of a Tree That Inspired the World

PreS-Gr 3–This nonfiction picture book tells the story of the tree Isaac Newton observed, which inspired his scientific discovery of universal gravity. After Newton’s observations made the tree living history, it became known as the Gravity Tree. People from near and far flocked to the tree just to sit under it, to eat one of its apples. In 1820, a storm threatened to destroy the Gravity Tree, severely splintering it. Luckily, the tree was still alive and new roots formed, allowing the tree to continue to grow. In 1930, Albert Einstein visited the tree on his way to deliver a lecture about his ideas which were built on Newton’s discoveries. Physicist Stephen Hawking, whose work studying black holes and gravity hearkens back to Newton, visited the tree in 1987, and in 2010 a sliver of the tree was released aboard the International Space Station. The Gravity Tree continues to thrive and new gravity trees have been created by expert gardeners planting seeds from its apples. In lyrical storytelling, award-winning investigative reporter Redding imparts the message that small, ordinary things can change the world with the aim of inspiring children to recognize that they have the potential to influence the world. Back matter includes information about the Gravity Tree; brief biographies of Newton, Einstein, and Hawking; a bibliography; and a time line. The expressive artwork supports the text and the book’s potential to work well as a read-aloud title.