By the Sycamore Tree by Caroline L. Thornton

I'm going to stay in the realm of trees with today's read and am taking a peek at a read,, which centers around a sycamore tree. I believe that this one looks at the changing seasons, and what happens with animals, nature, and even people during this change. Sounds calming? Well, let's find out!

BY THE SYCAMORE TREE

by Caroline L Thornton

Illustrated by W. Anindya

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 3 to 7

By the Sycamore Tree is a sweet story in verse about all the changes that happen to and around a tree through the seasons. As each season comes and goes we see the changes that occur to the plants and trees, the animals and birds and even how the changing seasons affect people.

AMAZON    /    GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

The change of the seasons flow with poetic flair as these pages visit more than first appears.

For the most part, this book centers around a sycamore tree and showcases the changes the seasons bring around it. From Spring to Summer and on, not only does the tree go through the usual change of budding leaves to Fall's colors, but the area surrounding the tree shows the different activities of various forest animals around it. These hit various creatures to give each page a bit of something new. Plus, several animal habits (hibernation, etc) are brought across with subtle goodness. During the summer season, the scenes detour away from the tree to highlight some other activities people enjoy doing during these warmer months. This adds a slightly different direction before steering back to the tree and the nature around it.

While the illustrations bring across each scene nicely, there's enough change in each one to make sure it never comes across as repetitious. The text offers a calming atmosphere and sets the stage for each moment. The progression and activities of each season are delivered through beautifully flowing poems. These are enjoyable to read, easy to understand, and bring across the emotions clearly. In other words, the text is well done. This makes it a wonderful read-aloud and even perfect for visiting poetry in group settings.