  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2014 PreS-Gr 2—This bilingual story is an anthem to the innate strength and individuality of children and trees. As a tree is nurtured so is a child. Both begin as seeds striving for expression as they break free and reach for the sky: "I dream/I am reaching/Dreaming and reaching/Reaching and dreaming." Double-page spreads in watercolor, ink, and colored pencil are bright and whimsical featuring pink clouds and curlicue stars. The children depicted reflect the diversity of humanity, just as the different species of trees reflect the natural world of which they are an essential part. The text is slight but lyrical and reads well both in English and in Spanish. Many of the children are portrayed in variations of the yoga tree pose—providing an opportunity for inquisitive readers to ask questions in regards to yoga and its practice. Gonzalez's art and text invite reader participation on multiple levels, thereby appealing to a wider audience.—Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 12/15/2014 This pastoral celebration of trees employs lyrical language (in both English and Spanish) that urges children to emulate saplings by growing free and standing tall in the world. “I begin / Within / The deep / dark / earth / A seed / A tree / Free to be free.” Later, when more mature, the children (or trees) observe: “A tree I am / a tree I stand / On a sidewalk / On a mountain / By a river or road.” Finally, a young boy concludes, “Call me tree / Because / I am tall / I am strong / And like a tree / I am free.” The author and illustrator of I Know the River Loves Me / Yo sé que el río me ama (2009) here offers vibrantly hued illustrations depicting diverse children mimicking trees by forming their bodies into various yoga positions. The art has a magic-realism feel, as children become one with the roots, trunks, and branches of their trees. This makes a good choice for story hour dramatizations, particularly for Arbor Day or the Jewish festival of Tu B’shvat. - Copyright 2014 Booklist. Loading...
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