The Birthday Tree - Hardcover

Fleischman, Paul

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 076362604X ISBN 13: 9780763626044

Publisher: Candlewick, 2008

Synopsis

Planting a birthday tree has enduring effects in this poignant tale of a roving boy’s link to nature — and the roots of his family’s love.

When baby Jack arrives, his father and mother plant an apple seedling to honor his birth. As Jack grows taller, so does the tree. When Jack is happy, the tree limbs stand straight and proud. When he is cold, the leaves tremble on their stems. But one day Jack’s parents awake to find his bed empty. When they see a gull perched atop the tree, they realize that their Jack has run away to sea. Paul Fleischman’s lyrical prose and Barry Root’s magical illustrations tell the story of a boy’s powerful connection to his family despite distance — and adds new meaning to the old custom of planting a birthday tree.

About this title

About the Author

Paul Fleischman won the Newbery Medal for Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices and a Newbery Honor for Graven Images. Among his award-winning picture books are Sidewalk Circus, The Animal Hedge, and Weslandia. He lives in Aromas, California.

Barry Root has illustrated many books for children, including The Cat Who Liked Potato Soup by Terry Farish. He lives in Quarryville, Pennsylvania.

From Booklist

Once there was a sailor who fled from the sea . . . begins this poetic story, first published in 1979 with illustrations by Marcia Sewall. Having lost three sons to the ocean, the man and his wife move inland, start a farm, and, after the birth of their fourth son, Jack, plant an apple tree. As the boy grows, so does the tree. Soon his parents notice a strange affinity between the two, and when Jack grows up and leaves home, they are able to divine his health and progress by watching the tree for signs. Precisely worded and fluid in the telling, the story has a timeless quality that is echoed in the expressive watercolor artwork. The illustrations depict landscapes glowing with seasonal colors, characters working and playing, the tree changing with the seasons and, in one dramatic scene, being struck by lightning. Even libraries with copies of the old edition will want to add this satisfying picture book to their collections. Grades K-3. --Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 076362604X
• ISBN 13: 9780763626044
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Root Barry