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Illustrated by Il Sung Na Neal Porter Books/Holiday House I May 4, 2021 * A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection * Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2022, winning illustrator - Il Sung Na * The Original Art 2021 Selection (The Society of Illustrators) - Il Sung Na |
★ "Transcending time and place, this gentle book will take root in many hearts." Kirkus, Starred Review
★ "Empathic vulnerability marks every page of Lim's story...Lim and Na's poignantly affecting collaboration is a reassuring homage to resilient adaptation, familial support and unexpectedly nurturing friendships, ensuring My Tree will take root in hearts of all ages." Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
"A young boy from Korea moves to America and finds a “tall, crooked, quiet” old plum tree in his new backyard thatreminds him of his persimmon tree back home. He names her Plumee for the deep purple plums that “dotted every branch” and finds comfort in her whenever he misses home. One spring night, a windstorm knocks Plumee down. Yet even so, with “her roots pulled out of the earth,” she is still his playmate, becoming in his mind everything he wishes for: “a tree house. A rocket. An island. A ship.” The boy later plants “a new plum tree, short and straight” in Plumee’s old place and carefully tends the sapling, finding the same feeling of home as he waters her and watches her grow. Themes of resilience, hope, and vulnerability run through Lim’s simple and poetic text. Na’s digital illustrations help build empathy. On one dramatic double-page spread, a nearly glowing white silhouette of a ghostly Plumee appears against a dark night sky. The high contrast in hue conveys not just the absence of the tree but also the feeling of emptiness that her absence brings. Gentle symbolism employed throughout creates opportunities for discussion of change, connection, and adaptation." The Horn Book.
"Na (That’s My Carrot) gives this quiet story heft and drama with bold, crisped-edged forms; saturated hues; and feathery details. The spreads flow into each other, carrying much of the story’s emotional weight. Lim, meanwhile, crafts this story with a tree-scale sense of time, paying homage to an arboreal marker of the past and offering hope that stretches out into the future." Publishers Weekly
"This tale of a boy’s devotion and regard for the natural world is quietly endearing, and the young protagonist will be a comfort to others who have said goodbye to home." School Library Journal
You can find Educator's Guide here.
★ "Empathic vulnerability marks every page of Lim's story...Lim and Na's poignantly affecting collaboration is a reassuring homage to resilient adaptation, familial support and unexpectedly nurturing friendships, ensuring My Tree will take root in hearts of all ages." Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
"A young boy from Korea moves to America and finds a “tall, crooked, quiet” old plum tree in his new backyard thatreminds him of his persimmon tree back home. He names her Plumee for the deep purple plums that “dotted every branch” and finds comfort in her whenever he misses home. One spring night, a windstorm knocks Plumee down. Yet even so, with “her roots pulled out of the earth,” she is still his playmate, becoming in his mind everything he wishes for: “a tree house. A rocket. An island. A ship.” The boy later plants “a new plum tree, short and straight” in Plumee’s old place and carefully tends the sapling, finding the same feeling of home as he waters her and watches her grow. Themes of resilience, hope, and vulnerability run through Lim’s simple and poetic text. Na’s digital illustrations help build empathy. On one dramatic double-page spread, a nearly glowing white silhouette of a ghostly Plumee appears against a dark night sky. The high contrast in hue conveys not just the absence of the tree but also the feeling of emptiness that her absence brings. Gentle symbolism employed throughout creates opportunities for discussion of change, connection, and adaptation." The Horn Book.
"Na (That’s My Carrot) gives this quiet story heft and drama with bold, crisped-edged forms; saturated hues; and feathery details. The spreads flow into each other, carrying much of the story’s emotional weight. Lim, meanwhile, crafts this story with a tree-scale sense of time, paying homage to an arboreal marker of the past and offering hope that stretches out into the future." Publishers Weekly
"This tale of a boy’s devotion and regard for the natural world is quietly endearing, and the young protagonist will be a comfort to others who have said goodbye to home." School Library Journal
You can find Educator's Guide here.
- HOLIDAY HOUSE Interview
- ASIA SOCIETY Stories of Heritage / May 24, 2022
- MINING FOR HEART Family Connection by Hope Lim / Beth Anderson / April 2, 2021
- STORYSTORM 2020 Hope Lim Lets Her Ideas Evolve / Tara Lazar / January 24, 2020
- KIDLIT411 Author Spotlight / January 22, 2021
