Another Way to Climb a Tree

June 19, 2017
Lulu climbs trees fearlessly, even “the trees that trap cats and the trees that catch kites and the trees that other kids won’t climb.” Her skill is almost magical: “When Lulu sees a climbing tree, she’s here, and then she’s gone, just like that.” (She’s seen in front of the tree then, in the next instant, high in its branches.) When Lulu gets sick, she has to stay indoors, and she mourns—until she sees the shadow of a tree on her bedroom wall and finds a new way to climb. Hooper (A Small Thing... but Big) fills the pages with rough bark and sprays of lush leaves, suffusing the spreads with the sense of age and awe that old trees offer. She doesn’t skimp on color, either, deploying sunlit golds, bay laurel greens, and moonlit blues. Though Scanlon (In the Canyon) spends quite some time on Lulu’s disappointment, her lyrical prose celebrates an evergreen childhood activity and envisions a way that imagination can offer comfort when reality is hard to bear. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Marlena Torzecka, Marlena Agency.

Starred review from June 15, 2017
A young tree lover finds a way to climb into the leafy branches even when she is sick and confined indoors. In an early double-page spread, Lulu, a small redheaded white girl, can be seen standing in her bare feet on the left-hand page: "When Lulu sees a climbing tree, / she's here" and on the right-hand page, peering out from the leafy branches of a tree: "and then she's gone, just like that." Lulu scrambles up even the tallest trees--she rescues cats and kites, and sometimes she lies along a branch like Philippe Petit on a high wire, leaves in her hair. Hooper's digitally rendered bold lines and warm colors celebrate Lulu's trees: strong twisted trunks, straight trunks, evergreen boughs, broad leaves. Big and little children, mostly white though there are a few children of color, gather under the trees. The houses are spaced generously apart and a Royal typewriter and a camera sit on Lulu's bookcase, giving the setting a timeless feel. Lulu's sadness indoors is conveyed through her separation from the tree by her window, and only the sun and later the moon climb the branches. But the foliage shadow on Lulu's wall is invitingly dense, broad-branched, and full of golden light--enticing for a girl whose imagination is as nimble as she is. Engaging for climbers and dreamers alike. (Picture book. 3-7)

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June 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-Daredevils will cheer redheaded Lulu's bravery. Clad in short overalls, she scales only the most challenging trees-those with the stickiest sap, the ones that catch kites, and even trees other kids fall out of. When Lulu is sick and confined to bed, she's missed by the birds and trees, and she woefully watches the sun and moon take over her climbing routes. Lulu's jealousy disappears when she discovers that the enormous shadow on her bedroom wall is of "the tallest, widest, biggest tree of all," which she proceeds to climb, swing from, and hide in...with her imagination. Scanlon celebrates the simple pleasure of nature. Hooper's relief prints use a soft palette and retro line figures, including Lulu's white dog, who always tags along. Details such as Lulu clasping a teddy bear as she climbs and her laurel headband add charm. VERDICT The serene tone and pace cleverly balance the heroine's restlessness. Introduce this for Earth Day, for Arbor Day, or with themes of imagination. A perfect choice for anyone stuck inside on a glorious day.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2017
Preschool-G Lulu's specialty is climbing trees: the tallest, widest ones; those with big knots and sticky sap; the ones that trap cats and catch kites; and the kind that other kids won't even attempt. When Lulu gets sick and must stay indoors, nothing is quite right. The trees miss her, the birds stop singing, and only the sun and the moon are able to climb the branches. But when Lulu turns her back to the window, she discovers the tree's shadow projected on her bedroom wall, just waiting to be climbed. The author of All the World (2009) here solves an unusual problem with an imaginative solution. Hooper's colorful artwork complements Scanlon's lilting prose. The trees in Lulu's neighborhood take center stage, displaying gnarly trunks, distinctively shaped leaves, and multiple hues of green, often set against pink or yellow backgrounds for maximum contrast. This makes a good choice for Arbor or Earth Day story hours, especially when paired with an informational title such as Durga Yael Bernhard's Just like Me, Climbing a Tree (2015).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)