Under My Tree

This impressionistic story by Tallandier centers on a city girl, Susanne, who becomes enamored of a tree while visiting her grandparents in the country. The girl announces that her tree is "different from all the rest"--and indeed, Fujisawa depicts the deciduous tree more realistically than its more geometric forest neighbors. Susanne becomes increasingly fond of her tree as she discovers a mother owl and her babies in its hollow, hugs its bark ("You have to touch a tree if you really want to talk to it"), climbs its branches to revel in the view from the top, and listens to its music in the wind, as it "sang with her leaves, using the wind as her lungs." Supplementing the lyrical narrative are leaf-shaped sidebars that provide minimal factual nuggets and activities ("There are over 60,000 tree species in the world"; "Run your fingers over the trunk") and encourage readers to explore and appreciate trees. Dominated by a cool palette of variegated blues and greens, Fujisawa's airy illustrations mimic the text's placidity and feature endearing, close-up portraits of the book's tree-hugging heroine. Ages 3-8. (Apr.)

PreS-Gr 4--Susanne is a young girl who lives in a big city. She often visits her grandparents in the country, and when she does, she loves to spend time with her favorite tree. The tree is giant, full of life, and waiting to be explored. Tallandier has created a lovely story about the beauty and friendship people share with nature. Every description of how Susanne interacts with her tree is full of tenderness, encouraging readers to connect with their surroundings, too. Guided questions help supplement read-aloud sessions. Fujisawa's illustrations depict the tree as a vibrant giant throughout all seasons. Both the humans and the natural world are depicted with details and colors that bring them to life. VERDICT Combined, Tallandier's words with Fujisawa's illustrations depict a story filled with pure love and adoration for the rainbow of nature and the opportunities it presents to us.--Margaret Kennelly, School at Urbana-Champaign, IL

"✭A story filled with pure love and adoration for the rainbow of nature and the opportunities it presents to us."— School Library Journal

"Especially notable." —ALA Booklist

"An interactive, modern-day The Giving Tree without the creepy self-sacrifice." —Kirkus Reviews

"Age-appropriate and lovely.... besides the story, you'll also enjoy reading the questions and interactive "Try This" prompts with your kids." — Imagination Soup

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