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Reviewed by Kathy Golden for Readers' Favorite
Under The Umbrella Tree by Cheryl Spears Waugh is described with these moving words: “From sunrise to sundown, the umbrella tree stands anchored in the African grasslands. As the day begins, life stirs among the tree's tenants.” This description is followed through with such a beautiful feeling of oneness as readers look upon this African acacia tree. It is a microcosm unto itself, and the author, through page after page, shows us how this tree provides, sustains, and affects many different life forms. We are invited to see how such animals as monkeys, bushbabies, and elephants, to name a few, take advantage of the generous bounty offered by the various parts of this tree. Insects too find succor or refuge among the many branches.
In Under The Umbrella Tree by Cheryl Spears Waugh, Libby Martin, the illustrator, does an exceptional job of allowing us to feel the “magic” of this magnificent tree, whose branches and leaves bring to mind the perfect umbrella. In addition, her illustration of this tree, with the backdrop of the rising sun and the purple skies, incites a desire to stand there in the open air and gaze upon it. Among the things I like best in the book are the little note cards on each page that include additional details and educational information. Such additions greatly enhance the value and benefit of this book as a tool for helping young minds gain knowledge in an easy and desirable way. Thank you, Cheryl Spears Waugh, for you have truly managed to capture and convey the wonder, the African mysticism, and the many gifts of the umbrella tree.
