The Cherry Tree

Daisaku Ikeda

ISBN 10: 0679926690 ISBN 13: 9780679926696

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 1992

Synopsis

An Asian mother ties an explanation of family history to a poetic lesson on the changing seasons when her daughter asks, "Mama, what comes in spring?" Jr Lib Guild.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

Hope springs eternal--even in the dark aftermath of war--as seen in this picture book. After bombs have destroyed their Japanese village and killed their father, Taichi and Yumiko's broken-hearted mother must go to town and earn money shining shoes. Left to play outdoors each day, the children encounter an old man tending a brittle, dead-looking cherry tree. They help care for the tree through the harsh winter, and despite the old man's doubts, their vigilance pays off--the resulting pink blossoms rekindle the spirits of the entire village. As in The Snow Country Prince , their previous collaboration, Ikeda and Wildsmith present a tender story about the rewards of kindness. Ikeda's quiet text is infused with the innocence and curiosity embodied in his child protagonists; his message is fundamental without being didactic. Wildsmith's airy watercolors depict a Japanese countryside in the process of rebirth--indigenous animals, plants and native people in brilliant garb all come to life. A spread showing the cherry tree in its full flowering glory is breathtaking. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

K Up-- A British translation of a Japanese story set in a village that has been devasted by war. Brother and sister Taichi and Yumiko watch their mother leave for work every day; their once easy life is now difficult and dreary. The children find a sickly tree and notice an old man wrapping straw around its trunk to protect it from the cold. The tree has not blossomed since the bombing, but the old man believes that with a little kindness and patience it will flower again. The children decide to help. One spring morning, the tree is in bloom. People come from all around to see it, and ``in time, the village also came back to life.'' Unlike Seuss's Butter Battle Book (Random, 1984) or others comparable to it, Ikeda concentrates solely on the aftereffects of war and the importance of keeping hope alive. The vivid double-page spreads done in watercolor and ink are unmistakeably Wildsmith. As always, his illustrations, rich and bold in color, help to embellish this heartwarming tale. --Rachel Fox, Port Washington Public Library, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0679926690
• ISBN 13: 9780679926696
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Brian Wildsmith