Tove Under the Tree — Larissa Theule

A child’s courage and creativity save a fallen tree in this gentle young chapter book about empathy, resilience, community, and our indelible bond with nature.There was a tickle at the top of her head. . . . Tove’s brain vibrated like a phone. The little branch was asking for permission to grow. Tove straightened. “Yes, please grow,” she said. Just like that, her head accepted and welcomed the branch’s polite, exploring baby roots. For as long as Tove can remember, the giant ficus tree has stood in front of her house, shading her bedroom during the day, holding up the stars at night. Now it lies on the ground, chopped down. “It was dead,” says the arborist. “Trees die. People think they live forever, but they don’t.” Or don’t they? Tove picks up a little branch that escaped the chipper, a branch still green and supple, still holding life. With that, she makes a bold and valiant resolution—and when the weight of her decision grows larger than a small child can handle by herself, the entire neighborhood comes together to support her and the tree they all love. With Larissa Theule’s graceful prose and Julie Benbassat’s inviting illustrations, a realistic familiarity merges with magical realism in an elegant, moving story with shades of a classic.