Tess's Tree

by Jess M. Brallier, Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

"Tess loved her tree. She liked to swing on it and sit in its shade and catch its leaves in the fall."

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Environment, Death, Nature

32 pages, ebook

First published August 25, 2009

About the author

Jess M. Brallier (born May 31, 1953) is a publisher, author, and web publisher. Brallier has authored or co-authored 31 books, including Lawyers and Other Reptiles. He is currently Publisher and General Manager of Family Education Network (a part of Pearson), an online publisher for: parents, teachers, and reference readers.

In 1992, Brallier founded the children’s publishing imprint, Planet Dexter (Penguin), which published a number of best-selling books and secured scores of book club, electronic, foreign, TV/video, exhibit, serial, and merchandising licenses.

Of the 30+ published books that Brallier authored, half are adult titles and half children’s books.

Brallier won book publishing's LMP Individual Achievement Award in recognition of his marketing campaign for three New York Times best-sellers: Reinventing Government by David Osborne, Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White, and Touchpoints by T. Berry Brazelton.

Brallier is publisher of the most successful online book in history, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He is also the publisher of Poptropica, the largest virtual world for young kids.

A native of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, Brallier is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh (B.A.) and Boston University (M.S.). He resides in Massachusetts, with his wife and children.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tess's Tree is a special little book that speaks to all of us who have ever lost something or someone we loved. It's especially well suited for helping a young child come to terms with death for the first time without having to face - with all the implications it involves - the deaths of individuals such as family members, friends, or the child himself/herself. It's a beautiful story to share with your child because it says so much in so few words and illustrations.

Tess loves her tree. From her window, she watches it change with the seasons, and she has spent many happy hours swinging from the tree, playing in patches of its fallen leaves, etc. She is therefore devastated when the tree must be cut down after an act of Mother Nature. Naturally, her first reaction is anger, and she takes that anger out on everyone and everything around her. In time, though, she comes to reflect more on what her tree meant to her, and that is when she decides to have a funeral for the tree. The whole neighborhood is invited to the service, and the end result is that Tess discovers a great sense of community and comes to realize how important her tree has been in the lives of others, some of whom she never even knew. Tess' tree was not really her tree at all, and the grief she feels for its loss is not hers to bear alone. That is a very comforting message, and it is delivered beautifully and simply in this wonderful little book.

[raccoon reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having a tree cut down can be a huge loss for a child or even a neighborhood. Having recently seen a friends family go through this when the city deemed a 100 year old oak dangerous and needing to be cut down, I can tell you it was very sad for her children. Even though it wasn't her decision neighbors assumed it was her fault/choice that the tree was being removed. I wish I'd known of this book before and could have recommended it to them.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

While we want to protect our young children from grief, we need to find ways to help them deal with losing something or someone they love. Tess's Tree is a wonderful, beautiful new book that does just this is a sweet, gentle way.

Tess loved her tree with all her heart. She looked out at her tree from her bedroom window. She swung its sturdy branches and read stories in its shade. But after losing branches in a big storm, the tree had to be cut down. Oh, how Tess was angry. Sad. Despondent. She cried for a long time, but then she decided to have a funeral for her tree - to celebrate the life of her tree.

Brallier was inspired to write this story after a friend's daughter held a funeral for a tree. “I think it’s difficult for kids to deal with loss,” he says. “It can be scary and lonely. They watch trusted adults being sad. I thought a tree was a softer way to explore that.” (Publisher's Weekly) Reynold's illustrations are perfect - bringing out all of Tess's emotions. I also love the multicultural community that she lives in - it helps us see ourselves in her story. This is a truly gentle book - it's one that will help children feel connected to the earth around us, and to people, pets and things they love.

My daughters have really liked Tess's Tree. My 5 year old listened with complete attention, with little smiles, frowns and sighs at the happy and sad places. The feelings came through so well in this book. My 8 year old said, "It's such a sweet book. But sad, too. It makes me think of Grandpa." She went on to talk about how she wished she could have gone to her grandfather's funeral (it was too far away) so she could have met some of the people who knew him when he was younger. It was a very touching moment, to have her recall her grandfather. His passing had a huge impact on her.

An interesting back story to this book: Tess's Tree started as an on-line book on the website FunBrain. You can now read the whole book online at the FunBrain site. Peter Reynold's company Fablevision created a TeleFable (FableVision's signature on-line book format). If you like reading books online, check out their site - they have great stuff!

[Katherine Salinas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet story about a girl who loves a tree and all the other people whose lives were touched by the tree in different ways.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tess has a tree in her yard that is very special to her, but when a bad storm causes irreparable damage, Tess has to come to terms with loosing her tree.

A sneakily disguised book on dealing with loss and grief that is less traumatic than a lost pet or loved one, but still has good lessons. I thought the best part were the other people who had also loved "Tess's" tree and sharing their memories.

Content notes: Tess's anger phase includes lashing out at other people and plants, and she is never called out on this not being cool.

[Samantha Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The impact of losing a beloved suddenly is conveyed perfectly throughout this story. The emotions that Tess felt when her tree was gone is relatable to many children and adults. The support of her friends, family, and community is absolutely heartwarming. This story show the stages of grief Tess goes through and the absence the missing beloved will leave in its place, with a prospect of new beginnings.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It made me well up and I almost cried. When I was young I had a tree too. Shortly after I moved out the tree was found to be sick and had to be cut down. I cried and my dad save me a piece of the hardwood. It's not often I identify with a children's book, but this one caught me off guard. I also think it's a nice way to introduce the concept of death, as the character goes through the stages of grief and hold the funeral.

[Abbigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

An almost-perfect picture book that I will give five stars anyway. Love the illustrations by Reynolds, of course, loved the sadness and bittersweetness of this story, just great community story as well as one about coping with loss and trees more generally. I do wish that the story would have ended with Tess realizing it's not "her" tree, but the tree of all of these different people, but that's something that grown-ups can bring up to kids as they read.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I relate so much to this story!

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this it brought tears to my eyes. So many people found something to bring of a memory of Tess's Tree. I loved her feelings to have a funeral for the tree.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A touching book with an uplifting message.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has an important message about working through grief.

[Sandra Acacia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it. I love the celebrating the life of the tree 🌳. Wonderful story.

[Gracie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is perfect to share with students about having different emotions and being able to relate to others around you. Tess proves she is a hard worker and determined to respect her favorite tree after being cut down. It created a theme of everyone coming together at the end, which showed unity and meant a lot to Tess

[Jess Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tess is upset and frustrated when her favorite tree must be taken down (for safety reasons). She decides to hold a ceremony in memory of her tree where she meets others who had also loved the tree (a couple whose names were carved into it, for example). The only thing that really bothers me about the book is that they don't plant a new tree! It's not as though the spot was bad, just that the tree itself had died. I was really, really frustrated by this--shouldn't we be encouraging the cycle to continue? Appropriate for early elementary school kids (Tess herself is 9, but that feels a bit old for this story).

[Anners · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's illustrator-author extraordinaire Peter Reynold's has collaborated with author Jess Brallier for their most recent offering about celebrating the life of a tree that has been destroyed in a storm. Tess is devastated when the tree has to come down, but learns to stop despairing when she organizes a community gathering to commemorate the remarkable life of this venerable tree. I must say, however, I was surprised and mildly disappointed that Tess did not think to replant another tree in its place after the tree's "funeral" ceremony. I think that would have been a more fitting ending.

[Jack Keely · Rating 5 out of 5]

This emotionally resonant picture book tells the story of Tess who is “nine years, three months, and two days old” and her love for a one hundred and seventy five year old tree. When the tree has to be cut down, Tess must find a way to deal with the anger and sorrow she feels. Jess Brallier has managed to craft a story about dealing with loss and grief in a way that a child can understand, and he has done it with charm, sensitivity, and a touch of humor. The illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds have a subtle, soft focus charm. With expert lines and a wash of color Mr. Reynolds creates memorable images that perceptively illuminate the text.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Tess's tree, the one she has always known and loved is cut down after a storm, she rages. The way she resolves the sadness and anger she feels is awe-inspiring. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, the colors and emotions rise from the pages.

I read this on the way to work and when I arrived, I had to share it.

A story for anyone who has ever loved a tree (or a person) and had to go on without it.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story about a girl whose beloved backyard tree has to be cut down, weaves in themes of grief and loss, connection to the land, and coming together as a community. Spiritual, grounded, and sweet. My daughter loves it and wants to read it repeatedly. My only complaint is that, like other reviewers, I wondered why the ending didn't have her planting new trees.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about a little girl named Tess who's favorite tree has to be cut down. The beautiful illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds bring the story to life as Tess deals with her emotions and the loss of her beloved tree.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I was anxious to read this with the name Tess in the title. It's such a sweet book about tree love. It made me verklempt every single time I read it - even choked Derrick up when he read it. SPOILER ALERT - would be a great introduction to the concept of a funeral.

[Sam Bloom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book about dealing with loss that suffers from several improbable and too convenient circumstances to hammer home its point. I still think the 10th Good Thing about Barney by Judith Viorst is the best book for children in terms of dealing with loss and grief.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has several great elements.
1st, love of a tree!!
2nd, could be a book about bereavement
3rd it could be a book about community.

I think it is about all three! Just a nicely illustrated, nicely worded book about a girl and her tree!!

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess loves her tree but it gets cut down after a storm. She throws a memorial service and invites neighbors. She learn about all the people that were involved in the trees very long life. Possibly good book for Tu BiShvat or Earth Day.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it was dealing with the loss of a favorite tree and not a human being, I thought this was a very nice little book about how children cope with loss. I think school counselors might like it.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love the illustrations, but the text is to moralistic and to many impossible things happen without explanation which is out of place in this realistic context.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

Story about lost.

[Maggi Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deals with death, the cycle of life and the grieving process in entirely appropriate and meaningful ways.

[Marianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book- so sweet!