One Tree

by Christopher Cheng, Bruce Whatley

One tall tree on the mountain once marked Grandfather's farm. Now there is a busy city and Grandfather lives with us in our apartment. once he told stories but now he stays silent. Until one day, in the city market, I find something precious... something that brings Grandfather's memories alive again.

A story about love, change and the importance of the natural environment in all our lives.

Genres: Picture Books

36 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Christopher Cheng established the Zoomobile and taught at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, and now is a full-time author of children’s books. He lives in Australia.

Reviews

[Dianne Wolfer]

Lovely.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told from the point of view a boy living with his family in a small apartment in tower block in a busy and crowded city, this is poignant and affirming story about living with and adjusting to change. Grandfather was a wonderful storyteller living on a farm and walking to the village to trade and talk, but now the farm is gone as the city has encroached on the rural landscape. Grandfather no longer tells stories and is sad, with just a picture to remind him of how he used to live in harmony alongside the tallest tree on a mountain. Now he lives with his family in a small apartment in a crowded city and he is silent and sad. On a trip with grandfather to the crowded and bustling market, the boy sees a small seedling growing in a crack in the pavement. He carefully removes it and plants it at home. At first grandfather says it won't grow, but it does and the old man provides advice and help and the two start to communicate -together and with the tree, which they pace on the balcony, soon with further trees added. There apartment is now recognizable from the market, and as others notice, they too start to add plants to their balconies, thus making a greener living space that connects them with nature.

This quiet and thoughtful story celebrates family and community and is firmly steeped in Chinese culture, magnificently supported by Whatley's illustrations. Created digitally, the appear as linocuts with amazing detail and colour shading to enrich and add further layers to the story. the changing facial expressions reflect the impact of changing circumstance on the wellbeing of the family members.included as readers. One Tree acknowledges the older traditional life styles, but realistically conveys that urban living is now a necessary and intrinsic element of modern day life but we are able to actively work at improving the environment that we live in so that renewal and regeneration can be fostered. It also quietly celebrates extended family structures and the valuable place elder members have in shaping our lives. It shows there are always possibilities for change and it emphasises how lucky we are to have elders in our lives—and how important it is to listen to, and value them.

[Jocelyn Hee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought provoking book about country life vs city life and the young and old that children can enjoy. This book has lovely lino cut illustrations and it's always nice to see books illustrated in unique styles. The facial expressions were wonderful.

[Sharni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about family and connecting to nature, in a busy world.

[Abbey Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally see why this story was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Award.
Change, ageing, loss, displacement. Evocative and beautifully written and perfectly illustrated. A must read!

[Bella]

Love the story, love the illustrations. Found the ending a bit abrupt, but loved that the story didn't feel preachy, this story is an uplifting ode to the joy of plants and greenery.

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spreading happiness, aging, memories, power of individual environmentalism, wisdom sharing from older generations, urbanization, and dealing with change.

[Lara Bate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of a Chinese man who grew up in the country side. Over time, the place developed into a large city but ended up getting joy by planting his own trees on his balcony.