PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
ABOUT THE BOOK
At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for being different and wearing bright shoes. He finds refuge beneath the old willow tree by the playground and builds his own world of hope and dreams of belonging.
One day, when Rumi is made a target again, one of his classmates bravely steps in to defend him. It’s in that moment of solidarity Rumi’s class finally realizes that under the shade of the willow tree, all are welcome, and they create a space they can all play in—together.
REVIEW
This tender tale of a child facing bullying as he adjusts to a new school first broke my heart before healing it again. Rumi's arrived at a new school where he keeps to himself under a tree during recess. Unkind comments from some of the other students makes him feel even more lonely and sad than he already did as he uses a twig to draw pictures of his old life. A thrown pebble, a fallen tear, and an act of kindness changes everything. A bystander becomes an upstander; one kindness that leads to another and another. And before long all the kids play together under the welcoming branches of the tree. Pham's beautiful illustrations wonderfully complement the powerful story. The feelings of the children shine through loud and clear. I look forward to using this book with my students for many years to come. Re-reading this book will undoubtedly bring tears to my eyes and an ache to my heart, caused by both empathy and hope. When the author explained the inspiration behind the story in her author's note, it inspired me to use this book to try to help the children in my life learn to be kind, to be an upstander that can change someone else's story. Definitely one of my favorite books of 2023.
Comments
Post a Comment