Review by Booklist Review
An old willow tree grew in a schoolyard. Children would often gather under its branches to run, sit, and talk with their friends. But one day, a storm broke the willow's trunk. The students were dismayed. One asked if they could grow new willows. Soon, each child was trimming a broken branch from the tree, placing it in a bottle of water, and tending it carefully. While some plants didn't survive, most sprouted new roots and leaves. Next, the students took their little trees to a nursery, transplanted them into pots of soil, and gave them away to the townsfolk. Today, the old willow's descendants are flourishing in yards, parks, and even the schoolyard. Loosely based on actual events at a school where kids responded to losing a beloved tree by nurturing and planting its sprigs, the story is well paced and the graceful, digital illustrations are lovely. The extensive back matter provides information and ideas for adults who are inspired to improve public spaces by replacing invasive plants with native species and creating pollinator gardens.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Stremer inspires with this uplifting, based-on-true-events story of a school community that enacts a "wonderfully wild," plan to resurrect a beloved schoolyard willow--"a gathering place, a run-laps-around place, a dream-under place." After a lightning strike fells the tree, the students are heartbroken, until one has the idea to grow new willows from scavenged clippings. Polished prose tracks the group's efforts as the little trees sprout and are planted around town. Meanwhile, the group undertakes a larger schoolyard rewilding campaign, adding a pollinator garden and hotel, compost bin, birdhouses, bat boxes, and the like. With delicate coloring, attention to critterly detail, and plant-oriented patterns, simple digital renderings capture the gladdening magic of group efforts--and greenery. Characters are portrayed with various abilities and skin tones. Back matter includes more about rewilding. Ages 4--8. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A joyful introduction to rewilding, or restoring ecosystems to their natural states. When their beloved schoolyard willow tree is hit by lightning, students grow new trees from clippings while their teacher helps them learn about creating a more sustainable natural world. Stremer shapes her account, "loosely based on a real-life event," into an idealized free verse narrative that follows the students step by step as they trim branches and set them in water, watch the progress of new root formation, repot new trees, and replant them in the schoolyard. The author wisely presents the willow regrowth as an idea that came from a student, and she also points out that some plantings don't survive: "That's just how things go sometimes." The lessons extend further--the kids learn to weed out weeds, grow and plant wildflowers, create compost, and provide shelters for birds and pollinating insects. They share both their knowledge and their newly grown willow trees with the community. Masse's stylized illustrations add to the charm of this story. She portrays a diverse group of young students all actively engaged in the activities, both in the classroom and in the wider world, and having fun as they learn. Adults also appear, varying in skin tone; the whole community is clearly involved. Instructive backmatter completes the package, providing further information and guidance on plants and the rewilding process. Hopeful and encouraging.(Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
