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32 pp.
| Candlewick
| March, 2021
|
Trade
ISBN 978-0-7636-9754-9
$17.99
(
2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Will Hillenbrand.
On the day Zee is born, a small shoot emerges in a clay pot on her parents' Christmas tree farm. It is quickly designated as "Zee's Tree," and the two grow up together, with Zee being the tree's primary caregiver. Without a hint of anthropomorphism, Rusch makes targeted comparisons. For example, Zee goes to kindergarten with a new outfit and "new look"; concurrently, her tree gets a pruning. When both the tree and Zee are eight, Zee is big enough to decorate her now-fully-grown Christmas tree all by herself. Hillenbrand's soft-hued mixed-media illustrations not only reflect the text but also clarify and expand the narrative. Small expository notes, set apart from the main text, provide further scientific information. Appended with an index, a bibliography, and instructions for the care of live Christmas trees.
Reviewer:
Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2021