The Storm Tree

The Blanket Tree Books

Children - Picture Book
43 Pages
Reviewed on 12/02/2021
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Brenda Daniels for Readers' Favorite

The Storm Tree, written by Hélène Ferreira and illustrated by Creature of Habit – Creative by Nature, is a beautiful, multilayered picture book that tells a thought-provoking story. Rosalie, a farmer, owns a tree that has never flowered. When a lonely neighbor takes up flute playing, the tree begins producing not flowers but musical instruments. When a storm hits the valley, the tree is shocked (literally) into playing orchestral music from its wood, brass, and stringed instruments. These sounds call the people from the danger of the valley up to the safety and shelter of the tree. Under the branches of the tree, the people learn togetherness, a lesson they carry forward with them.

Other lessons are to be had in this story. In echoes of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Rosalie learns that she cannot monetize her tree. The lonely neighbor learns about community. And the tree itself learns that power is fleeting. I enjoyed the gentle way the words, pictures, and multicolored typography (when indicating musical instruments) work together to convey these meanings. The theme of togetherness is well carried throughout and is reflected in the lack of one strong protagonist (even the tree itself bows to a higher power), in the orchestral music, and in the clever use of color. I found The Storm Tree by Hélène Ferreira a rich, worthwhile tale that invites careful reading over and over again.