Review by Booklist Review
Sylvia ties her poem to a tree to celebrate the arrival of spring. Wonder of wonders, when she returns, a different poem hangs there. Who knew a tree could write back? In class, as diverse groups of children write haikus, Sylvia writes one to her Poetree,"" but Walt sticks out his tongue when her poem earns a gold star. Next day, a new poem: I've wondered a while / Can a tree and child be friends? / Your words give me hope. Persisting in her imaginings that the Poetree is writing, Sylvia responds with a poem in chalk on the sidewalk below. Turns out Walt has been writing poems to the same tree! A misunderstanding brings about a new bond. Giggling, the two poets sit under the tree and compose poems about friendship. The drooping umbrella and even the position of her boots accentuate Sylvia's temporary unhappiness, while Walt's grouchy pose eventually turns to smiles. Delicate illustrations in graphite pencil and pastel watercolors encourage the possibilities of finding beauty in nature and diversity in relationships. Certain to inspire budding poets.--Lolly Gepson Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Reynolds explores the joy of unexpected kinship in this gentle springtime ode. A thoughtful girl welcomes spring with a poem, which she ties to a birch tree that stands atop a hill; the birch's response precipitates a back-and-forth between the two. "White birch on the hill/ Speaks out loud through rustling leaves/ Great green Poetree," the child writes in haiku form. The tree responds in kind: "I've wondered a while/ Can a tree and child be friends?/ Your words give me hope." Maydani illustrates in airy pink, blue, and yellow pastel layers that call up the loveliness of the season. In one spread, readers will see Sylvia's classmate Walt also visiting the tree. Both children are disappointed to learn that they were communicating with one another all along, but their mutual interest leads them to strike up a friendship of their own, and a useful message for all: "A friend of the tree is okay with me." Ages 4-8. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-A quiet and warm book that celebrates the power of poetry, nature, and friendship. After Sylvia leaves a poem tied to a birch tree at the beginning of spring, "hoping that it didn't count as littering if it made the world more splendid," she is shocked to discover a new poem waiting for her when she next passes by. She believes the tree has written her back and is "her new leafy friend." Soon Sylvia is daydreaming about the tree and composing a beautiful haiku in the tree's honor. When she finally realizes that a boy in her class named Walt, who has made fun of her at school, actually wrote the poems, she is unbearably sad. As Walt and Sylvia try to come to terms with the realization that the tree cannot write poetry, they also make the first tentative steps toward a new friendship based on their mutual love of words and the birch tree. The language is lyrical and sweet, and the soft pastel-colored illustrations perfectly match the tone of the story. VERDICT A beautiful tale that celebrates friendship, -lovely words, and glorious nature.-Sally James, South Hillsborough -Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
To celebrate the end of winter, young poetry lover Sylvia writes a poem about spring and ties it to a birch tree in the park. The next day her poem is gone; in its place is another that Sylvia believes the tree wrote back to her. Sylviaa shy girl whose best friend is her dog and who gets teased at school by a classmate, Waltimagines what she can do with her new leafy friend. When Walt shows up at the park claiming the tree has been writing poems to him, the children discover that theyve been writing to each other. With an apology (Im sorry I was mean at school) from Waltwho turns out to be a budding poet and kindred friend of the treethe children realize all that they have in common. The illustrations in graphite pencil and watercolor balance white space with pastel yellows, pinks, and greens and provide subtle narrative foreshadowing. Shapes, shadows, and perspective are thoughtfully employed; in one spread the tree appears as shadow only (a pink one at that), while in another Sylvia looks up at its towering branches. In a visually striking departure from the books established color palette, the center spread features a dark, graphite background with cursive words in white flowing around the tree branches. This gentle book offers solace to anyone who has felt lonely and discovered comfort in writing or in the natural world. julie hakim azzam March/April 2019 p 66(c) Copyright 2019. 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 little girl enjoys writing poems and gets an unexpected surprise when she writes a poem and gives it to a tree, making "the world more splendid."Sylvia marks the end of winter with a poem about springtime. After reading it to a squirrel, she ties it to a tree ("hoping that it didn't count as littering"). When she passes the tree on her way to school the next day, she finds a surpriseanother poem on the tree. "She never imagined the tree might write back." Sylvia continues to write poems to the tree and waits to find the next poem. When she realizes a teasing classmate, Walt, is the author of the other poems, she is sad: "Had the tree she loved so much not given her a thing?" Not too unsurprisingly, the two poets become friends, harmoniously trading rhymes beneath the tree that has brought them together. Using precise, intelligent prose, Reynolds captures moments of a child's innocence: " So what's your name?' Sylvia asked the tree. But the tree stood in silence. Are you shy like me?' The tree nodded in the breeze. Sylvia understood." Maydani's delicate, pencil-and-watercolor paintings, suffused with spring pastels, affectionately invest Sylvia (who has brown skin), Walt (who presents white), and even the tree with personality. A sweet and quiet homage to friendship, nature, and the power of words and poetry. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
