cover image It’s MY Tree

It’s MY Tree

Olivier Tallec, trans. from the French by Yvette Ghione. Kids Can, $17.99 (36p) ISBN 978-1-5253-0547-4

This droll French import follows a possessive, scrawny orange squirrel who is reminiscent, in both design and temperament, of Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel from the Ice Age films. The squirrel claims a specific tree and its pinecones, and furiously contemplates ownership and entitlement (“But what if one day someone decided that MY tree isn’t MY tree but is actually THEIR tree?”). Pondering how best to protect its favored pine, the squirrel eventually decides that building a gigantic wall is the best option. But the wall causes more issues as the squirrel grows greedier (“Maybe there’s a whole forest of trees full of pinecones behind that wall”), and the squirrel eventually surmounts it, only to face a forest full of squirrels staring back. Though adults might subsequently engage children in discussions on sharing and societal compassion, the lack of resolution makes for a dissatisfying ending. Ages 3–7. [em](Sept.) [/em]