Small History of a Disagreement

August 1, 2020
How to disagree effectively, courtesy of Chile by way of Canada. When a group of upper-elementary-aged students comes back to school after a holiday, they are surprised to see the beginnings of construction in their schoolyard. Then they find out that the 300-year-old monkey puzzle tree (a species native to Chile and Argentina) in the schoolyard is slated to be cut down to make way for a new school building that will house new classrooms, a computer lab, and science laboratories. Some of the kids begin to advocate for the protection of the tree, saying it is a protected species and a link to the Indigenous people of the region; others argue for the development and the improvements it will bring to the school. After back-and-forth protests, the history teacher suggests holding a debate. The students agree and prepare and present their arguments. After the debate they decide the next step is to hold a vote. After vigorous campaigning, voting day comes and...it's a tie. Now what? The answer is a relevant lesson in these divisive times. This well-told story, translated from Spanish, takes a forthright look at disagreement and resolution while empowering its readership by featuring school-age children (illustrated with various skin tones and hairstyles) as its protagonists. The illustrations work effectively in a supporting role with their low-key, muted palette, clear settings, and contemporary, consistently rendered youngsters. A refreshing and timely reminder that disagreement can--and should--be productive. (author's note) (Picture book. 9-14)

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Starred review from October 1, 2020
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* Chilean students protest the proposed removal of a monkey puzzle tree in this picture book that holds valuable applications to young U.S. protesters as well. The monkey puzzle tree, native to Chile and Argentina, is ancient, valuable, and increasingly endangered, making it an apt symbol for democracy. Here the locus for the protests is a school where plans are underway to chop down a monkey puzzle tree in order to construct a new addition. Older students form two groups: the Millennials, named for preserving the thousand-year-old trees, and the Developers, on the side of sacrificing the tree for progress. The book follows the conflict from a contentious meeting with the principal?a strait-laced woman with a military commander's portrait hanging in her office (a nod to Chile's history of military regimes)?to protests, discussions, and finally, a debate before the whole school. The resolution is a win-win for both sides with the message that good ideas can come out of disagreement. An absorbing story and guide to resolving conflicts peacefully.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

November 2, 2020
This picture book utilizes a collective first-person perspective to relay the tale of a schoolwide debate when a new school building is proposed on the site of an endangered tree—“a member of a millennial species, thousands of years old.” After signs and protests draw attention to the monkey puzzle tree’s fate (“I want to live”; “I’m 300 years old. Save me!”), the school’s history teacher suggests a debate and subsequent vote between two groups: “Millennials,” who wish to preserve the tree, and “Developers,” who laud the progress the building will bring. The vote results in a solution that suits everyone, a solution that feels well earned by the involved students. Though characters of color are painted in an unfortunate gray hue, Lyon’s illustrations, rendered in a dynamic, sketchlike style, are engaging, with expressive faces and comics-esque panels. A detailed study of community involvement, debate, and voting. Ages 7–12.