Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Previous collaborators Garton Scanlan and Vernick (Five Minutes) highlight the importance of mindfully slowing down in this grounding account of a tree that sprouts up in the middle of a family's residence and refocuses their priorities. "It's all hurry in and hurry out again" for the book's relatably harried protagonists. When a bit of green appears on the kitchen floor, the group is initially too distracted to pay it much mind (Dad "takes off his glasses, cleans the lenses, and keeps moving"), but as the sprout turns into sapling, young Penny commits to ensuring that the arrival "knows it is loved." Watercolor patterns and textures give smudgy digital drawings from Lee (Can't Stop Kissing That Baby) an organic feel, and much of the story's pleasure lies in humorous depictions of the tree as it grows "a little taller, a little barkier, a little leafier," filling the house's nooks and covering the scenes in brightening color. Penny and caregivers readily adapt to their leafy occupant's needs--moving furniture, modifying the roof, and adjusting to the presence of squirrels and ants. The nature-centered payoff--star-gazing, leaf-peeping, enjoying hobbies in a dreamy new spot, plus a literal and metaphorical sense of rootedness--feels meaningfully perspicacious. The family is portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. Authors' agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Anne Moore Armstrong, Bright Agency. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Always on the go, Penny's family never slows down. When "something happens, something that gets everyone's attention," Bo-Belly the dog's ear cocks attentively and Penny pauses, even though the family must hurry on again. In the middle of the kitchen, starting very small, a young tree sprouts. At first only Penny and the dog seem to notice, as the grown-ups have so many things to attend to. The tree grows rapidly and takes over the family's house, sending roots into the basement and branches out through the roof. The family that once had to rush from one thing to another learns to slow down and "they are more in and less out. And way less hurried." By the conclusion of this gently humorous and thoroughly recognizable tale for today's overprogrammed families, a sense of calm and connectivity has spread through this family. Readers who feel the frantic pace of modern life will be left wishing for a tree to take root in their own kitchens. Illustrations are done in a mix of watercolor patterns, textures, and digital drawings, capturing the young sapling, the frenetic pace of the family, and the eventual development of peace and harmony. By the conclusion, the tree's fall foliage envelopes the family in glorious color and a sense of tranquility. VERDICT An absolute winner with comic touches and tenderness that will speak to a generation of readers who are part of families that are "on the go" and yet looking for an alternative to the pace of modern life. Highly recommended.--John Scott
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Review by Horn Book Review
A tree starts out as a small green leafy growth peeking through the floorboards of young Penny's kitchen. With nurturing from the family and dog Bo-Belly, it eventually grows through the roof while its roots travel down into the basement and outside into the soil. Before the sprout emerged, Penny's family was always racing from one activity to another ("It's all hurry in and hurry out again"), but the tree makes everyone pause and begin to take their time. Mom plays banjo, Dad does a puzzle, and Penny reads a book while leaning against its trunk. By the end: "The family has grown some roots of its own. They are more in and less out. And way less hurried." Scanlon and Vernick's appealing, straightforward text celebrates the power of nature as the whole family becomes more grounded and joyful. Lee's illustrations, a mix of "watercolor patterns, textures, and digital drawings," reflect all the new activities. The final pages show the tree in a blaze of autumn color, spreading out into the front lawn and beyond. A reminder to slow down and appreciate both nature and life. Joan YolleckNovember/December 2025 p.56 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A botanical wonder relinks a disconnected family. Penny's family is busy: Dinners need making, homework needs doing, and daily drudgery leaves little opportunity for the household to commune. That is, until Penny and resident pup Bo-Belly notice a glimmer of emerald, suspiciously arboreal in nature, that's taken root in the kitchen. It grows ever "taller, a little barkier, a little leafier," until it's too large to ignore; as the botanical interloper branches out under Penny's care, it demands the family's united attention and action. Their efforts to accommodate Tree aren't without challenges--after Tree breaks through the roof, rain trickles in--but just beyond these bothers lie even bigger joys, among them birdsong, starlight, and a renewed capacity for familial respite. By the time autumn arrives and Tree's leaves have turned a brilliant vermillion, togetherness has become the rule, not the exception. Scanlon and Vernick depict a protagonist worth emulating; the determined, self-assured, and green-thumbed Penny proves an aspirational figure, capable of energizing similarly precocious readers with a tenacity that verges on the mythical. Reminiscent of craft art styles typically used to depict traditional tales, Lee's illustrations underscore the plot's folkloric nature. Her subdued palette creates space for and emphasizes Tree's verdant presence, though the green glow that surrounds it suggests that magic may also lurk among its leaves. Penny and her mother are brown-skinned, while her father is pale-skinned. A tale sure to encourage readers to gather around and enjoy one another's company.(Picture book. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
