Under the Baobab Tree

Starred review from April 16, 2012
From the opening full-bleed, full-spread watercolor illustration of a young boy greeting the dawn in front of his grass-roofed hut with arms stretched wide toward heaven, to the final spread of a community gathered to praise God under a baobab tree’s encompassing branches, a spirit of quiet joy and wonder reverberates through this tale. As brother and sister Moyo and Japera walk dusty roads to the next village, they pass through their diverse community: weaverbirds in acacia trees, gazelle at a watering hole, a termite mound “rising from the tall grass like a finger pointing to heaven,” rendered by Lewis (Bat Boy and His Violin) as a vivid red natural sculpture decorating a brown, arid plain. Amid the children’s observations and musings, Stiegemeyer (Seven Little Bunnies) interweaves the refrain “But who will gather today under the baobab tree?” A preface page introduces the baobab tree, describing its practical and spiritual value to the African
savanna’s human and animal communities. Understated lyricism combines with uncluttered, foreground-focused depictions of creation in this prose hymn of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise. Ages 4–7.

April 15, 2012
A brother and sister travel to a special gathering under a gigantic baobab tree in this quiet, beautifully illustrated story set in a rural area of an unnamed African country. The siblings walk together down a dusty road on their way to a nearby village, where the large baobab tree is located. The story relates different events that happen under the tree: a visit from the market wagon, elders meeting to discuss village business, a storyteller recounting tales of heroes. A repeated refrain builds anticipation: "But who will gather today under the baobab tree?" During their journey, the children spot some intriguing sights such as gazelle around a watering hole and a termite mound. When they reach the baobab tree at last, they join other people waiting under the tree, and it gradually becomes apparent that this is an outdoor church service with just the basic elements: "a cross and a Bible, a pastor and songs, voices and prayers." Evocative watercolor illustrations make effective use of sunlight and shadows to create a warm, realistic world that shimmers in the African heat. A subtle, captivating glimpse of another way of life, with a regrettably generalized author's note about the significance of the baobab tree in African culture. (Picture book/religion. 4-8)

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June 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 2-In an unspecified African country, a brother and sister walk to their village, wondering who will gather today under the baobab tree. As the central gathering place, it might be hosting a market, a storyteller, or elders discussing local business. No one is there when the children arrive, but gradually a crowd gathers. Soon the children learn that today's event will be a service-"Here there are no windows or doors. No church bell or steeple. No organ or flowers. Just a cross and a Bible, a pastor and songs, voices and prayers." Lewis's glowing watercolors convey the contemporary savanna setting with warmth and energy. Sunlight and color fill each frame as the siblings make their journey, while leafy endpapers signal the tree's importance. Religion is part of the children's daily existence, along with the plants, animals, and weather. The author suggests that the people view both God and the baobab tree as providing support for their lives. This book could be used effectively with Cristina Kessler's My Great-Grandmother's Gourd (Orchard, 2000), another title that demonstrates the importance of the baobab tree to village life.-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2012
Preschool-G The massive baobab tree of the African savanna has many uses. The tree can nourish the body by providing shelter, shade, and water, but it can also nourish the soul by serving as a gathering place for the telling of stories, transmissitting of culture, and holding of religious rituals. This book conveys all of this through the simply told story of a brother and sister starting out at dawn from their straw-roofed hut in order to reach the spreading baobab tree a few hours later. Several spreads juxtapose the current trek with what might be happening at the tree ( But who will gather today under the baobab tree? ), such as visits from the market wagon or meetings held by elders. Lewis' vibrant watercolor illustrations capture the brown and purple hues of the landscape, the heat radiating from the red dust, and the sudden movement of wildlife. The book and pilgrimage end on an overtly Christian note, as the siblings discover just a cross and a Bible, a pastor and songs, voices and prayers. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)