THE CITY TREE

Dani forms a bond with the sole tree that is planted in their urban neighborhood.

“In front of Dani’s building was a hole. Sometimes dusty, sometimes puddly. And sometimes wild with bits of green.” A double-page spread, mostly in muted pastels, shows a foliage-free urban setting of adjoined buildings. But soon a truck pulls up, and two people plant a tree in that hole. For brown-skinned Dani, the tree is a source of joy—when birds arrive, the child is woken by their beautiful songs instead of truck noises. The tree helps predict the weather, protects Dani from “noise and grime,” and even offers friendship as the protagonist confides in it. Quiet, lyrical text describes the ways that typical urban sights and sounds change with the arrival of the tree; this is a good introduction to the concept of greening city streets for the youngest children. The text pointedly makes this tree more “special” to Dani than the more “magnificent” trees in the park. Depicting small details of lives lived inside and outside the apartments, the vibrant illustrations invite lengthy examination. The ending double-page spreads are a delightful combination of metaphors and vivid art as each season the tree continues to make the neighborhood a joyful place to live. Tranquil and calming, this is an ideal bedtime read. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A soothing tale of a tree that helps transform a community.