The music tree

Luke is quite a busy frog. He likes to observe insects, fly his kite, and count the clouds (appearing in a variety of whimsical shapes) in the sky. He does not have time to play the trumpet his grandfather gave him long ago. It just hangs there on his wall, untouched and unused. When Grandpa sends him a mysterious seed, Luke immediately plants it in a large pot. But when nothing grows, he is disappointed and takes it outside to toss it away. In front of his house he encounters an unusual group of musicians playing lively music on a variety of instruments, and the magic begins. As the lion, cat, parrot, and fox play, the pot starts dancing and shaking in rhythm, and the seed begins to grow. Luke grabs his trumpet and joins the band, playing until dark. The next day a full-grown music tree is standing majestically in the garden. Luke continues to play his trumpet, attracting a wide audience to the music tree, which seems to listen with them. Though readers might question his musical talent if he never previously played his trumpet, it must be part of the tree's magic. Valtanen's inventive tale brings on the magic slowly, drawing Luke and young readers into its joys and possibilities. Luke and the other anthropomorphized animals are depicted clothed and in human habitation in the happy, playful, childlike paintings; with their bright, colorful hues, they are in perfect synchrony with the simple, direct text. Creativity triumphs in this warm, gentle tale imported from New Zealand. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.