From School Library Journal Grade 2-4 With its exquisite endpapers, elaborate picture borders and richly detailed oil paintings, Once There Was a Tree seems to hold great promise. But a ponderous narrative and a didactic conclusion mar the book's potential. The story focuses on a tree which is struck by lightning during a violent storm. A woodsman discovers the broken tree and saws it down to its stump. One by one, a beetle, ants, a bear, a titmouse, a frog and an earwig make the stump their own. But who really owns it? "Maybe the tree stump belongs to allthe beetles and the ants. . .and even the man. All must live together." The message is conveyed without subtlety; the narrative is further impaired by its rigidly sequential telling. Lacking both character development and any meaningful exchange between characters, the story falls flat. Indeed, children will wonder what happened to the bear when the bird came along, or to the bird when the frog took over. Devotees of the illustrated book will savor the elaborate design of this one, but the story's heavy theme (possibly due to its Russian origin) will limit its appeal to children. Anne E. Mulherkar, formerly at District of Columbia Public LibraryCopyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. Read more Language Notes Text: English, Russian (translation) Read more See all Editorial Reviews
C**A
A wonderful book for fostering a love for and understanding of the natural world.
A tree is struck by lightning and dies but that isn't the end. The story follows the succession of animals that make use of the stump as it decays with beautiful detailed pictures. Each animal thinks of the stump as their own and the book ask the reader to think about who really does own the tree. Perhaps a bit heavy handed but it is still a wonderful book for fostering a love for and understanding of the natural world.
N**M
For the Very Young
Lovely tale about the circle of life (perhaps the retelling of an oriental folk tale). Simplistic in its presentation but with a much deeper moral theme. Easy for the very young to appreciate. A little disappointing if you are a Spirin fan. Good , but not his best work.
T**A
a (socialist) childrens book
Great theme and lessons for children. Teach them early that private property is a spook to be ignored.
S**T
Beautiful and subtly important
This book is a great way to teach your little child their place in the ecosystem as one of sharing rather than owning. Beautiful illustrations and a poignant story.
A**R
Five Stars
Book in good conditions
D**Y
wonderful
This is my absolute favorite children's book. My twins are 22years old and of all their books this is the one they remember. The illustrations are beautiful!! I have purchased this book for many friends children and the reaction is the same.beautiful
J**F
lovely book about the cycle of life
While the illustrations are rather dark and detailed, the story of the cycle of a tree and the idea thatthe earth belongs to everyone is such a goodmessage, I highly recommend it for its simplicityand poetic style.
D**H
Five Stars
Great book
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