Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When a family's beloved backyard tree must be felled, a bittersweet grieving process unfolds, which Kurpiel conveys with understanding in this sympathetic picture book of mourning and regrowth. "The tree behind our house had been talking all my life," narrates the book's pale-skinned, dark-haired narrator, establishing it as a living presence, friend, and protector. Washed in monochromatic hues, smooth, rounded, digitally colored sketches capture memories of adventure and relaxation beneath the tree's verdant foliage. But as the trunk shifts to a steely gray, the tree confides in an expert, "It's time." In remembrance, the child gathers and then presses leaves, and soon a crew arrives, removing branches. The protagonist repeatedly counts the remaining stump's more than 100 rings: "All I could see is what used to be." Fortunately, time brings new growth and the opportunity to care for a sapling--a close that in coming full circle neatly emphasizes nature's cyclical aspects. Characters are portrayed with various body shapes and skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--How can a tree be more than a tree? When it's loved and appreciated by a young girl and her family. Using rich language and onomatopoeia, Kurpiel shares the story of how the family loves a big oak tree in their backyard. One day, the tree starts telling a different kind of story and must be cut down. The girl, with tan skin and dark hair, wants to save what she can and starts collecting leaves. That helps ease the pain of loss, but the loss is still there. Eventually, new things start to grow where the tree once stood, and the loss of the tree lessens over time. The lovely pastel artwork mirrors the gentle spirit of this story, which also comes with a message of hope and responsibility. Readers will be reminded of other books about trees over a lifetime, including Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree and Jessica Stremer's Wonderfully Wild, but this one has its own quietly joyful message of shared family experiences and the healing that comes over time. VERDICT This book would be an excellent addition to any library's collection, especially those needing stories of dealing with a loss.--Debbie Tanner
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A child processes loss and embraces renewal when a beloved backyard oak must be removed. The tree has been a constant companion--whispering in spring, whooshing in summer, cackling and crunching in fall, and whistling in winter. But when the old oak begins creaking ominously, an arborist determines, "It's time." The young narrator's parents nod knowingly, but the little one hasn't prepared for this goodbye. As a crane dismantles the tree branch by branch, the family presses leaves to preserve memories. After, the yard feels eerily quiet--until weeds sprout between the woodchips "like the start of a new idea." The family plants a butterfly garden and a sapling, with the protagonist promising to watch over the young tree as the old one once watched over the child. Kurpiel's narrative is spare and straightforward, leaning heavily on sensory language to convey the tree's seasonal transformations. The family is rendered warmly in mixed-media illustrations--pencil sketches layered with digital dry media and watercolor brushes. Soft, rounded shapes create a comforting visual rhythm, while warm earth tones and cool blues establish emotional resonance. A standout spread bathes the empty yard in deep blue evening light, fireflies glowing against the ghostly outline of what once was. The compositions showing the tree's gradual reduction use swirling circles effectively to represent time's passage. The protagonist is pale-skinned and dark-haired; the family appears to be mixed race. A soothing, uncomplicated meditation on nature's cycles and letting go.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
