Zee Grows a Tree

A fact-filled story about a little girl and an evergreen tree that grow up side by side. Perfect for anyone who loves the natural world—or wonders about the origins of their holiday tree.

On the morning little Zee Cooper is born, a Douglas-fir seedling emerges from the nursery bed at her family’s Christmas tree farm. As Zee and the tree grow up together, they experience many of the same milestones. When Zee starts preschool, her tree is ready to start life outside the nursery. As Zee outgrows all her clothes, her tree grows taller, too. When Zee gets a whole new look for kindergarten, her tree gets a spiffy transformation as well. And as the years go on, Zee takes loving care of her tree, watering it through heat waves and protecting it from winter winds. Combining interesting details about how trees are grown and cared for on a farm with the sweet story of a friendship between a girl and her special tree, Zee Grows a Tree offers a blend of fiction and nonfiction that will draw the interest of young nature lovers everywhere. In the back of the book, readers will find an index, bibliography, and an author’s note suggesting some ways to enjoy a holiday tree without cutting one down.

Elizabeth Rusch is an award-winning author of fifteen books for children, many of which have received multiple starred reviews. Her titles include The Mighty Mars Rover; Ready, Set . . . Baby!; The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori and the Invention of the Piano; and Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World. Elizabeth Rusch lives in Portland, Oregon.

Will Hillenbrand has written and illustrated dozens of books. He is the illustrator of Bear in Love and Bear and Bunny, both by Daniel Pinkwater, and I’m a Duck by Eve Bunting. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.