Little Tree

For graduates, for their parents, for anyone facing change, here is a gorgeously illustrated and stunningly heartfelt ode to the challenges of growing up and letting go. A story of the seasons and stepping stones as poignant for parents as for their kids, from the creator of Otis the tractor and illustrator of Love by Matt de la Pena.

Long's gentle but powerful story about a young tree who holds tight to his leaves, even as everyone else lets theirs drop, takes on nothing less than the pain and sorrow of growing up. . . . As in Long's unaccountably profound books about Otis the tractor, a pure white background somehow adds to the depth.--The New York Times Book Review

In the middle of a little forest, there lives a Little Tree who loves his life and the splendid leaves that keep him cool in the heat of long summer days. Life is perfect just the way it is.

Autumn arrives, and with it the cool winds that ruffle Little Tree's leaves. One by one the other trees drop their leaves, facing the cold of winter head on. But not Little Tree--he hugs his leaves as tightly as he can. Year after year Little Tree remains unchanged, despite words of encouragement from a squirrel, a fawn, and a fox, his leaves having long since turned brown and withered. As Little Tree sits in the shadow of the other trees, now grown sturdy and tall as though to touch the sun, he remembers when they were all the same size. And he knows he has an important decision to make.

From #1 New York Times bestselling Loren Long comes a gorgeously-illustrated story that challenges each of us to have the courage to let go and to reach for the sun.

Praise for Little Tree

* The illustrations are beautifully rendered . . . Understated and inviting, young readers will be entranced by Little Tree's difficult but ultimately rewarding journey.--Booklist, starred review

Long's gentle but powerful story about a young tree who holds tight to his leaves, even as everyone else lets theirs drop, takes on nothing less than the pain and sorrow of growing up. Season after season, Little Tree clings to his brown-leaved self until he can take a leap and shed his protection. He feels 'the harsh cold of winter, ' but soon grows tall and green, and it's not bad at all. As in Long's unaccountably profound books about Otis the tractor, a pure white background somehow adds to the depth.--The New York Times Book Review

* Long's] willingness to take his time and even test the audience's patience with his arboreal hero's intransigence results in an ending that's both a big relief and an authentic triumph. Long's earnest-eloquent narrative voice and distilled, single-plane drawings, both reminiscent of an allegorical pageant, acknowledge the reality of the struggle while offering the promise of brighter days ahead.--Publishers Weekly, starred review

Long is sparing with the text, keeping it simple and beautifully descriptive. Brilliantly colored illustrations done in acrylic, ink, and pencil stand out on bright white pages, with Little Tree taking the center position in each double-page spread. Tender and gentle and altogether lovely.--Kirkus Reviews

Children will see the tree facing the scariness of change; adult readers may well feel wistful as the story underscores the need to let their babies grow toward independence. Beautiful. Grade: A--Cleveland Plain Dealer



Author: Loren Long
Publisher: Philomel Books
Published: 10/27/2015
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 11.00h x 9.30w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780399163975
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 2.5
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 177969 / Little Tree


Award: Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children - Honor Book


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 07/01/2015 pg. 64
Publishers Weekly 06/29/2015
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2015
Booklist 09/01/2015 pg. 120
New York Times Book Review 09/13/2015 pg. 21
PW Children's Starred Reviews 12/02/2015 pg. 30
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2016 - Below Average, With Minor Flaw

About the Author
Loren Long has putt puff puttedy chuffed his way all over the bestseller lists with such titles as Otis, Otis and the Tornado, Otis and the Puppy, An Otis Christmas, Drummer Boy, Toy Boat by Randall de Sève, and Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna. He's also had the opportunity to modernize the classic The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper and had the distinct honor of illustrating Of Thee I Sing by President Barack Obama. A graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Loren lives in Ohio with his wife, Tracy, and their two sons.You can visit Loren Long at www.OtisTheTractor.com and www.LorenLong.com. Follow @lorenlong