Our Tree [Hardcover]

For readers ages 3-7, this is a stunningly illustrated celebration of tolerance, togetherness, and the power of community.

Little Red is delighted when he discovers a beautiful tree--and he wants to keep it all to himself! But he soon realizes he is not alone in the tree. Birds stop by to rest on its branches during a long flight. An elephant uses the tree's rough bark to scratch its back. And with all of the other animals, bugs, and birds that call the tree home, it's just too noisy for Little Red! He decides to set out to find ANOTHER tree, just for himself--but when he has a scary run-in with a leopard, Little Red learns the value of sharing, community, tolerance, and friends who have your back.In Meserve's new fable, the squirrel Little Red finds it hard to share the tree where he lives. From the start, Little Red proclaims, This tree is all for ME. The tree calls the squirrel's attention to the many other creatures that use the tree, from a caterpillar munching leaves to a flock of swifts that alight on the tree's branches to an elephant who uses the tree's bumpy bark for a good scratch. Little Red, however, remains unmoved and complains that the other creatures do not belong. At last, he decides to leave and find a different tree that can be all for ME. En route, however, Little Red drops onto a hungry leopard and is saved by the tree's other creatures. At last, Little Red realizes that Tree is for everyone. Meserve's story emphasizes the importance of sharing spaces and supporting one another. Gentle illustrations depict the tree's role as a universal symbol of friendship and community, bestowing kind faces that add layers to the personification of the tree and its creatures. --Booklist

A tree welcomes everyone.
Little Red, a squirrel, scampers up a tree, cheerfully announcing that it belongs to him. Tree laughingly corrects him, pointing to a caterpillar chewing a leaflð