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pacifickle's review against another edition
4.0
The life cycle of an oak tree throughout hundreds of years - watch the world change around it. Cool way to introduce students to curriculum about technology changing over time, or timelines themselves.
julietn02's review against another edition
5.0
This book has so much to offer! It opened up lots of discussions with my 4yo about how an acorn grows into a tree, the different seasons, how a land is developed over time, intro to timelines, plus all the little details in the pictures to look at and discuss. My 9yo was across the table listening and jumped in the conversation and we discussed migration, drought, and tree rings (age/weather patterns).
felinity's review against another edition
5.0
An imaginative and engaging picture book showing the entire life cycle of an oak tree, from the tiny seedling planted at the beginning through the 200 years of its life, and onwards. Each spread is drawn from the same view, and dated with the year, so you can watch the houses and boats growing, spreading, changing; people farming and driving horses; trains, coal/steam boats and cars appearing, and clothing changing. It's full of fascinating details. We could probably read this 3-4 times and still have new things to spot.
I see some reviewers have issues with the little boy, but I believe they're overthinking it. Tis is not a historical documentary or a social commentary or even a book about America: it's a picture book about an oak tree.
I see some reviewers have issues with the little boy, but I believe they're overthinking it. Tis is not a historical documentary or a social commentary or even a book about America: it's a picture book about an oak tree.
heisereads's review against another edition
2.0
I was intrigued by the creative concept of this book, and the illustrations are beautiful, but I have a major issue with the historical aspect of it. Without explicitly stating that the boy at the start who plants the seed is a Native American, the illustrations with a wigwam and ships in the distance make clear that it is. Then, 25 years later, farmers are living on the land and the author writes that "The boy grew up and moved away." And that's where I had an issue. We all know the reality would have been that he was removed (in some way) from his land. Although I like the concept, I can't recommend something that so obviously provides misinformation on the historical accuracies of events affecting this underrepresented culture, and often not understood by the majority culture.
muddypuddle's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, I agree that this book starts out a little...well, a lot... shakily, but other than that the concept and the illustrations are wonderful. (Let's be honest, the young Native American boy didn't just grow up and move away.) But the story had to start somewhere, and the progression of PROGRESS (good OR bad) and GROWTH IN NATURE are beautifully depicted. The time line across the bottom is a wonderful plus, the 25-year increments work perfectly, and of course, it ended the only way it could (what happens to a huge 225-year-old-tree). I LOVED pouring over each picture looking for the changes. I love, too, that the scene was shown in different weather and at different times of the day.
agf523's review against another edition
1.0
It is very easy to read this book and think that you've just read a nice story about an oak tree from it's birth to it's death and then rebirth as one of it's acorns been planted to start the process over again. But this book is a great reminder than even in children's literature and picture books, it is important to critically analyze what one reads. This book skips ahead 25 years on every spread, starting in 1775 with the planting of an acorn by a Native American boy. When you turn the page, it says "the boy grew up and moved away" which is very much a white-washing of what happened to Native Americans throughout the history of America. It then goes on to say "Farmers now lived here." This is problematic because early settlers in America were taught how to farm by Native American people, and it is indicating that Native Americans themselves were not farmers which is simply not true.
While the concept of telling the story of an oak tree is a cool idea, this could have been done in a much better way without white-washing history. Just because a book is written for children does not mean the truth should be hidden from them. This is how many Americans continue on living in ignorance because from an early age, they are taught to only look at what white people have done and are only told stories from a white person's point of view.
While the concept of telling the story of an oak tree is a cool idea, this could have been done in a much better way without white-washing history. Just because a book is written for children does not mean the truth should be hidden from them. This is how many Americans continue on living in ignorance because from an early age, they are taught to only look at what white people have done and are only told stories from a white person's point of view.
jennybeastie's review against another edition
4.0
Nice juxtaposition between seasons and long stretches of time passing. Lovely rhythm to the book as well.
naughty_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
Starting from an acorn, an oak tree is the constant as time passes from 1775 to the current day and the people who live around the tree change. A great way to introduce to children historical elements as well as a respect for nature without coming across as too preachy or teachy. Although it would be more historically accurate to say that the Indigenous boy who initially plants the acorn did not "grow up and move away" but was pushed off the land by the White settlers.