Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Our Tree Named Steve

Our Tree Named Steve
  • by: Alan Zwiebel
  • Illustrated: David Catrow
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399237225
  • Date: 2005
  • Price: (without shipping) $11.99 USD as of the date of this posting.
  • Where to buy: amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/)
This is a book that is amazing, touching and full of surprises.

The tree, who was named Steve by a toddler who couldn't pronounce the word tree, shows the true meaning of friendship but not in an anthropomorphic way as in Silverstein's "The Giving Tree".

Steve is spared by the family when their house is built. Hey stands by stoically, as trees do, and watches the family grow. He helps in a way that is all tree. You never feel that he is anything but a tree and that makes the book far more emotional.
It is touching and wonderful.

Steve is brought to life by one of my favorite illustrators, David Catrow. Mr. Catrow was also responsible for bringing Patty Lovell's Molly Lou Melon to glorious life. He has also showed us, with the fine prose penned by Karen Beaumont, what happens when one decides I Ain't Gonna Paint No More (review here). Another fave Catrow book for me is I Wanna Iguana written by Karen Oloff.

Buy this book, read this book and if, at the end, you are not a little misty, have your pulse checked.


Content: 5/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Concept: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Price: 5/5