(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nicole Wong. A pear tree that survived the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City has become a symbol of hope in adversity. Magee's respectful, lyrical text follows the tree's story through the seasons from its discovery as "something green among the ashes," to its regrowth off-site, to its replanting at Ground Zero ten years later. Wong's softly textured illustrations incorporate a wordless fictional story, told via inset panels, featuring a mixed-race girl and her family (including an FDNY firefighting relative); their lives parallel the tree's resilience. Both text and art present events soberly but with a young audience in mind; the girl's reassuring story helps temper more scary aspects. "More About the Survivor Tree's Journey," an author's note, and selected bibliography are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn