More Than a Tree

When a family’s beloved backyard tree must be felled, a bittersweet grieving process unfolds, which Kurpiel conveys with understanding in this sympathetic picture book of mourning and regrowth. “The tree behind our house had been talking all my life,” narrates the book’s pale-skinned, dark-haired narrator, establishing it as a living presence, friend, and protector. Washed in monochromatic hues, smooth, rounded, digitally colored sketches capture memories of adventure and relaxation beneath the tree’s verdant foliage. But as the trunk shifts to a steely gray, the tree confides in an expert, “It’s time.” In remembrance, the child gathers and then presses leaves, and soon a crew arrives, removing branches. The protagonist repeatedly counts the remaining stump’s more than 100 rings: “All I could see is what used to be.” Fortunately, time brings new growth and the opportunity to care for a sapling—a close that in coming full circle neatly emphasizes nature’s cyclical aspects. Characters are portrayed with various body shapes and skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)