The Tree in Me

January 18, 2021
Luyken imagines that in every human, there grows a tree: “The tree in me/ is seed and blossom/ bark and stump.” An inclusive group of kids romps through the pages as she elaborates in lyrical verse. One child climbs the lowest branch of a tree; two more perch in its branches as another, below, reaches for an apple. Humans contain shade, sun, and even delicious flavors, the text posits, “part apple,/ part orange-pear-almond-plum,/ part yummm!” In the spreads, a vibrant rose pink, the gold of light, and a shadowy black predominate, focusing on passion and inner truth rather than examining trees themselves. Layers of scumbled paint suggest a reality that can’t be entirely seen or grasped, but movement and energy pour through the spreads as the children play, run, and embrace the very air in this celebration of the way the force of nature courses through every living being. Ages 4–8.

January 15, 2021
A celebration of humankind's connection to the natural world, as a child joyfully observes how a tree--and all the elements that allow it to flourish--lives on in people. A brown-skinned child with short, curly black hair plucks an apple from a tree. As it's eaten, the fruit's rosy glow is reflected in the youth's cheeks as the text reads, "The tree in me / is part apple." And so the poetic text, with the tree refrain starting each stanza, continues. The wise child, with the help of a multiracial cast of friends, plays among glorious trees--climbing, swinging from, and reading on branches; jumping among leaves; and resting in their cool shade. With each spread, the link between the trees and the children strengthens. The soil, sun, and rain that nourish the trees are also parts of the child, as are the bee that pollinates, the squirrel that regenerates, and the worm that decomposes and enriches the ground. The cycles of the tree and of the larger natural world, including humans, are honored. Luyken captures the splendor of nature in her brushwork and patterns. Done in gouache, pencil, and ink, her simplified designs are layered with energy and skillfully composed. Warm pink and yellow hues create a soft radiance, cooled by the middle spreads of predominant blue patterns for rain and sky, which create endless delight for the children. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-14-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.) A visual feast. (Picture book. 4-8)

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April 1, 2021
Preschool-Grade 2 The symbol of a tree is the foundation for this imaginative and poetic book that explores our relationship to nature. A Black child considers how the "tree" in her provides fruits for the pies she loves, a peaceful resting spot in the shade, a climbing nook to view birds, squirrels, and bees, and a chance to experience wind, rain, and sky. Her tree's strength will sustain a tire swing, while its deep roots help support its trunk and branches. This perceptive child can see a similar connectedness in herself, her mother, and others. Soft illustrations in gouache, pencil, and ink produce an impressionistic rendering of the aspects and beauty of nature's creation. Majestic trees, brilliant neon-pink flowers, roseate skies, and happy children reaching upward toward the sun add to the joy that springs out of each page. The large trim size works well for reading aloud and will inspire children to share their own ideas of how related they feel to nature and each other.

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January 1, 2021
Luyken's (My Heart, rev. 3/19) latest offering will bolster her strong reputation as an artist skilled in making tangible the intangible qualities of lovingkindness, resilience, and creativity. Here, a tree represents a child's oneness with nature and her sense of self within a warm community of friends. Cover art depicts a child looking up at an apple on a branch, its red form visually echoed in her rosy cheek. Reds, pinks, and golds predominate (though spreads devoted to sky and water serve up a contrasting vivid, cool cerulean) on spreads that continue the visual association between girl and tree. Meanwhile, the spare, lyrical text details their connection, and she is soon accompanied by other children clambering on "branch and trunk," their bodies merging with the colors and forms of the leaves, bark, and blossoms in the softly textured, painterly illustrations. The visual effect underscores the text's message of interconnectedness, expanding to recognize not just "the tree in me" but the sun and sky, too. The overall meditative quality of the book culminates with the acknowledgment of others' oneness with the world.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)