Luna & Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest - Hardcover

Kostecki-Shaw, Jenny Sue

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 080509976X ISBN 13: 9780805099768

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2015

Synopsis

Once there was a redwood tree―one of the world's largest and tallest trees, and one of the oldest. And once, born nearly a thousand years after the tree first took root, there was a girl named Julia, who was called Butterfly.

When exploring her beloved forest, Butterfly wandered into a grove of ancient trees. One tree had broken branches and a big blue "X" on the side. It was going to be chopped down. Butterfly climbed up into the tree. A tree wouldn't be cut down if it had a person living in it. This is the story of Julia Butterfly Hill and Luna, the redwood tree she lived in for two years, never once coming down. That is, not until Luna's future was safe.

About this title

About the Author

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw is the author and illustrator of Luna & Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest; My Travelin’ Eye; and Same, Same but Different, for which she won the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and the South Asia Book Award. A graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute and The Illustration Academy, Jenny lives with her family in their homestead in the mountains of Northern New Mexico.

Reviews

K-Gr 3—Kostecki-Shaw's beautifully illustrated picture book takes some liberties telling the story of Julia "Butterfly" Hill and her two-year stint tree-sitting in an ancient redwood to prevent its destruction by the Pacific Lumber Company. The tree, named Luna, is anthropomorphized through both text and images ("The redwood quivered with excitement, the way she always did when a new visitor arrived."), and Hill is depicted as a young girl (and referred to as Butterfly), although she was in her early 20s when she began her 738-day tree-sit. This may be confusing to children, but Kostecki-Shaw clarifies in an author's note that she made this choice so that the story would resonate more strongly with readers. The narrative is fascinating, with many jumping-off points for discussion with children ("And there wasn't a bathroom."; "To exercise, she climbed barefoot to the very top of Luna every morning."). The logistics are thoughtfully considered, and Kostecki-Shaw is careful to emphasize the teamwork that went into making it possible for Hill to remain in her 180-foot high platform until Luna was safe. Rendered in acrylics, watercolors, salt, pencil, and collage, the delicate, exquisitely detailed illustrations portray Hill, Luna, and the flora and fauna of the forest that take shelter in the giant redwood. The visuals are the book's strength, and readers will get a sense of the importance of protecting the environment. VERDICT There are few books for this age group that deal with local deforestation, making this charming introduction to environmentalism an ideal addition.—Jane Barrer, United Nations International School, New York City

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 080509976X
• ISBN 13: 9780805099768
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Kostecki-Shaw Jenny Sue
• Number of pages: 40