Maple & Rosemary

The familiar premise of two outsiders forging a lifetime bond takes an unexpected turn in this The Giving Tree--tinged picture book. Maple is the lone deciduous figure among snooty cedars and pines who "didn't have time for a tree that was all bark and no leaf for half the year," writes James (The Drums of Noto Hando) in emotional prose. When child Rosemary, portrayed with light skin and pink cheeks, seeks refuge in Maple's leafy branches ("Everybody hates me," she declares), the tree, anthropomorphized via the text, eagerly agrees to be her friend ("The tree's branches trembled, and all her leaves shook. Her wish had been granted!"). Rosemary initially visits regularly, but when she stays gone for many years with no explanation, scribbly mixed-media illustrations by Mann (The Camping Trip) evoke both the passing of time and Maple's lonely resignation. Happily, Rosemary does return--as a schoolteacher with an entire class to befriend Maple--and the two friends grow old together in a relationship that's "as real as roots." Emotionally honest and visually aware of life's seasons, this book acknowledges that cherished bonds don't always follow a simple script. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Jennifer Weltz, Jean V. Naggar Literary. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Feb.)

A lonely maple tree learns about friendship when she meets a girl named Rosemary. The text uses a traditional storytelling style, opening with "Once there was a tree"--the same opening words as Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree (1964)--and concluding with a happy-ever-after ending. In between lies a simple tale that follows the maple's thoughts and emotions, from the appearance of tan-skinned Rosemary as a friend to Rosemary's sudden disappearance to a reconnection some years later and on into Rosemary's elder years. The text varies in tone, by turns whimsical, didactic, and even dramatic--although still humorous--when the tree misses Rosemary: "Maple wanted the winter to cover her with snow and never ever melt." Although the text gives Maple and her neighboring trees personalities, thoughts, and emotions, the mixed-media art offers no hint of that--hooray, no eyeball-rolling cedars! In fact, the art renders the tree's physical transitions over seasons and years with detailed realism and vibrant color while also supporting Maple--not Rosemary--as the protagonist, making the tree more three-dimensional than animals and humans. The art's progression of seasons makes it seem as if Rosemary suddenly leaves Maple before their first winter together, but it's unclear why--as well as why Rosemary stays away for years. Otherwise, art, text, and layout successfully convey a sweet story of friendship that will comfort lonely or anxious children. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Quiet and quirky. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.