The Nut That Fell from the Tree

by Sangeeta Bhadra, France Cormier (Illustrations)

A playful, lively story about one acorn’s difficult path to becoming a tree. This is the house where Jill plays. This is the oak that holds the house where Jill plays. This is the nut that fell from the oak that holds the house where Jill plays … In the style of “The House That Jack Built,” here’s a cumulative, rhyming tale that follows an acorn on an arduous journey, as one animal after another steals it, drops it or tosses it, sending the acorn inside an old shoe, high above the trees and down to the bottom of a stream. But in the end, the rat, goose, bear and more turn out to simply be the conduits that help the acorn eventually land on a hillside, where the warm sun helps it grow into another grand oak tree, which now holds the house where Jack (Jill’s grandson) plays. In this lively story, Sangeeta Bhadra offers a playful depiction of the circle of life. The jaunty rhythm of the text (“This is the raccoon, a sneak through and through / that tricked the goose with a bird’s-eye view . . .”) and the use of fun-to-say words — like, “hullabaloooo” and “pee-ew” — make for a picture book that begs to be read aloud. France Cormier’s richly colored illustrations add energy and continuity to the story, as the perspective zooms in and out and dotted lines follow the acorn’s path. This book could easily spark discussions about plant life cycles, animal habitats and food chains.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Nature, Nursery Rhymes, Storytime, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2020

About the author

When Sangeeta Bhadra was two years old, her mom found her with her teddy bear, Jeremy, under one arm, pen in hand, scribbling furiously over the pages of The Three Bears. She claimed to be writing.
Sangeeta “wrote” many books during that period, but it wasn’t until she was in grade three (after a few author visits at her school) that she knew she wanted to be an author herself when she grew up. She told her parents so, they agreed it was a good idea, and that was that! Sangeeta has been writing ever since. She started with picture books, poetry in grade five, short stories when she got a little older … and back to picture books as she studied biology at the University of Toronto.
Sam’s Pet Temper is her first published book. Sangeeta was working on a different story as she did her laundry, when the idea for this book popped into her head. She dropped what she was doing and wrote the first draft in one sitting. She still doesn’t know why Sam’s name is Sam ... but she knew right from the start that Sam’s Pet Temper was special.
Before an illustration of the Temper was available, Sangeeta asked the few people who had read the story how they imagined this creature. Everyone had a completely different picture in their heads. This is what her dad saw: a black, scribbly ball of chaos. Amazing, huh?
When she is not hard at work writing, Sangeeta and her Temper enjoy crafting, baking, playing duets on the piano and taking long, meandering walks near their Brampton, Ontario, home. (Her Temper is kept leashed and muzzled in public, and is generally well controlled the rest of the time, too.)

Reviews

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nut That Fell from the Tree is inspired by a rhyme - The House that Jack Built, which is absolutely awesome! I love new adaptations of old favourites, so this already has a leg up against the competition.

Our story follows Jill and her little tree house. All of the adventures and shenanigans that occur happen because of an oak that fell from the tree. The journey is cute and fun, and definitely silly and goofy enough for young readers.

This book is more of a fun, rhyming game. It's a great book for young readers! I would recommend this book purely for the enjoyment it can bring.

The illustrations are whimsical and colourful, making this book stand out. I think they were quite cute and unique.

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I totally adore the art!!!! The colours and the perfect illustrations!
The book is just fun to read out aloud. It's just the kind of the 'perfect' picture book that we adults want to read out loud to kids. I am so going to get this one when it comes out.

The theme is educational, vibrant and adventurous. Even for the adult who is reading out loud is learning something valuable regarding trees; how some animals and nature play a role in making a seed grow into a big, strong tree.
I had lots of fun reading this one.
Thanks #NetGalley for the copy.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a how a nut that fell from the tree that holds the tree-house where Jill plays becomes the tree that holds the tree-house where John, Jill's grandson, plays. Too complicated? No! It's a fun trip during which many things will happen and many other characters have a part to play.

The text follows the same structure as the The House That Jack Built rhyme which I remember loving when I was a child. It seems I still enjoy the repetition and silliness of that structure. (I Know An Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly is another example of this structure). The illustrations are nice and colorful, and I liked them a lot, but still the text is the winner here.

I received this book from Kids Can Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a cute picture rhyming book inspired by the rhyme "The House that Jack Built", and I really love all similar rhymes inspired by it. It's in a forest about a nut that goes from one animal to another. The kids would enjoy singing along the rhyme and the pretty art.


I thank Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the digital ARC

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great little story and the illustrations in this book are beautiful. I wish it could have been a little longer.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kids Can Press, Sangeeta Bhadra and France Cormier for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a rhyming book (very much like there was an old woman who swallowed a fly) about the life cycle of a nut and how it can become a tree.

I loved the rhyming and repetitive style of rhyming that is contained in this book - it will help children remember what happens and would make a great book to share in a classroom.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the cover as I don't feel it does the book justice and a better picture from the book could have been chosen.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rendition of the classic rhyme "The House that Jack Built is the Nut that fell from the tree. It is lovely, fun, imaginative and it gives you the feel goods. Something we all need right now.

This is the House where Jill plays. This is the oak that holds the house where Jill plays. This is the nut that fell from the oak that holds the house were Jill plays...and it goes full circle at the very end. It is cleverly done with illustrations to keep your kids entranced. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Kid's Can Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were to come across this book in the store, I'd probably walk right on by, based on that cover. And that's a shame, because this is kind of a fun, cumulative story about the life cycle of an oak tree that's done in the style of "The House That Jack Built".

The story starts out in an oak tree where Jill's treehouse is built. An acorn falls to the ground, and is taken up by various creatures. Finally, it ends up buried and begins the growth cycle. Things come full circle in the end with a cute twist.

There are a number of books in this vein, and even based on this particular rhyme. I don't think I've seen one that tackles the life cycle of a tree before, though. The illustrations are detailed and bold, with lots of things to look at as the acorn makes its journey from Jill's tree to its new home.

Overall, this is a strong picture book that would probably work well for storytime reading sessions. The rhymes are fun yet informative, and the illustrations are appealing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a digital ARC.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming children’s book with beautiful illustration! I feel like this could be perfect for children who want to learn reading, as the illustration explains perfect what is happening in the text. However the print is rather small!
The Story is not the most exciting but overall a very nice book.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book from NetGalley. This was a wonderful story with amazing pictures. I will recommend to our library to get this book for our collection. I believe it will be a favorite for the children and parents too. #NetGalley

[Brittany H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Everything about it from the story to the illustrations was wonderful. It's about a little acorn that gets tossed about by several different animals. Will the acorn finally be left alone so that it can grow into an oak?
The repetition in the story was good and not confusing for younger readers. I would definitely recommend.

[Etienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting conception, maybe a bit too much of a melting pot of elements, but I like the creativity to it. The story with always a characters adding to the others and doing something more (like the old kid game of always repeating while adding an element to the list, not sure if I'm being clear here...), the cycle of life from the nut to the tree is also very well put/introduce/place in the story and the art is great. I enjoy this one!

[Bandita · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustration was fine but the writing was repetitive. The story was quite sweet but the writing was the reason I didn't enjoy this book.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was reading this, I just kept thinking that it would be a great read aloud in a kindergarten classroom. Students could easily read the repeated lines with their teacher.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy repetitive songs and stories and this one fit the bill perfectly. Telling the story of how an acorn becomes an oak tree in the manner of This is the House That Jack Built, or the song The Green Grass Grew All Around, this was a lot of fun. My grandkids and I were repeating the story together as it progressed. This story starts with Jill in her little tree house in an oak. When an acorn falls from the tree, the journey begins. There was some fun and silly happenings all put together in an amusing and delightful story. The illustrations by France Cormier are well done and add to the enjoyment of the story. A picture book that is entertaining, yet readers are able to learn from it as well. I definitely recommend this one to families, schools and libraries. I was gifted a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy provided by NetGalley

This is the story of an acorn and its tumultuous journey to being planted by nature. It shows a piece of nature that occurs almost accidentally, but also quite constantly. The use of the textual model of The House That Jack Built was appropriate, and it didn't detract from the story so much as it solidified the message of randomness for this acorn's journey from tree to planting and growth. I rather enjoyed this book, and I look forward to its publication. It was quite well written, and its illustrations were inviting and amusing, expressing the comedy of the animal expressions at losing the acorn. This would be a good read aloud book for primary elementary grades, and could even serve as a fun part of a science unit on plants and seeds. A sure buy for my library when it comes out.

[Kat Caric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful tale told in the tradition of "This is the House that Jack Built" - wonderful!

For children from toddler to at least age 5 or 6, perhaps 7.
The artwork (digital) is bold and of lush trees and landscapes, verdant and lusciously green. There are little animals to spy and a treehouse for wonder, and best of all, there is the story of an acorn that grows up to be something immense. This is every kid's dream: being tiny, but growing up big.

Wonderful, highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy for review. Honest opinion given.

[Nicci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome little book! It has wonderfully vibrant illustrations and a cheerful rhyming rhythm to the text. It makes you smile when you read it and is so simple, sweet and fun that I'd recommend it for kids of any age! My nine-year-old had fun with it (having gotten sucked in by me reading it aloud) even though he has long since outgrown this level of book.

[MeganRuth - Alohamora Open a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little cause/effect picture book that seems to be inspired by This is the House that Jack Built. It's a cute story, but a tad clunky right in the middle. Fun nonetheless. Definitely one to check out.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A preschool and up book about the repeating sequence of events when a nut falls from a tree and eventually grows into another tree. cute

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm, yes and no – this is a pleasantly building rhyme of the sort where every verse adds a new item on to the front of a list, until it isn't and doesn't. The crunching stop, before it slowly resumes, is both the point of the whole piece and a bit of a hindrance to the story, but I don't see a work-around. It's a pleasant chain of events in the life of an acorn, but all acorns must change sooner or later into mighty oak trees. The message is very nicely presented visually, but breaking that chain in this way did raise an eyebrow.

[Literature Lattes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adorable story follows the adventure of "a nut" that comes from a great big oak tree. Written by Sangeeta Bhadra, "The Nut That Fell From The Tree" has a cast of woodland creatures that all interact somehow with that same little acorn. Our kids loved the animals and how they impacted the acorn. Our favorite character in particular was the deer in the middle of the story! They were so cute! The kids noted that it was very repetitive, but they said they liked it. The illustrations were also excellent! Overall we would recommend this book time and time again!

[Abi H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can easily imagine this becoming a classic picture book. The art work is beautifully charming and incredibly pleasing to look at the. The writing is engaging and entertaining. The story is incredibly sweet and suitable for any child.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

[Clazzzer C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful little story. It is engaging and pretty. My children loved it and so did I. My colleagues in school would definitely love it too for their classes. There was so much score for use in the classroom too in extensions English, Irish, nature and art lessons. We loved it. 5 stars from us!!!!

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

So squee! The story is told to the "tune" of The House That Jack Built; here, we start with The House Where Jill Plays, a tree house where a young girl in a red cape performs for her stuffed animals. An acorn falls from the tree, and a series of events are set into motion: a rat tries to hide the acorn in a shoe, but a jay swoops in and takes it. A goose tussles with the jay and ganks the acorn, only to have a raccoon trick him out of it. A doe and her fawn startle the raccoon, who drops the acorn, only to be chased by a bear. All this hullabaloo wakes a skunk, who sprays to run off all the animals, and the acorn falls into a stream. It settles quietly on the stream bed, until a tidy beaver pitches it onto a nearby hill. The acorn comes to rest on the ground and is buried by a squirrel, and the sun does its magic- the acorn begins to grow. It grows into a mighty oak tree, that holds a tree house, where a little boy named Jack plays. An elderly woman, presumably his grandmother, is bringing out refreshments, and she just happens to be wearing a red cape....
Sangeeta Bhadra's prose is cute and clever, keeping a good, sing-songy cadence and repetition that will make this a great read-aloud. France Cormier's illustrations are wonderful- full of detail and color and fun, telling an added story of the animals of the forest and their habitat, the life cycle of the acorn, and the passage of time. These elements come together to make a beautiful book that kids will love, and a welcome addition to any library, be it public, school, classroom, or home.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Life of an Acorn

I was surprised when I saw the first page of the story proper. Somehow, the illustrator made the two-dimensional illustration look as if it were three dimensional. It literally stopped me short. The rest of the pages didn't have quite such a dramatic 3D effect. The illustrations are relatively simple, but they work for the story. This picture book essentially tells the story of an acorn from when it fell as a nut from the tree until it becomes a mighty oak itself. Interestingly, the author chose to make what I would call a “building” story, where each line builds on the previous one, incorporating all the elements that were a part of the story before. There are actually two distinct sections of this. One section tells about what happens to the acorn after it falls off the tree and then another section picks up the thread, telling how it came to be planted and became an oak tree. I thought it was fun to see how this little acorn got taken all around the area before being buried so it could achieve its destiny as an oak. A charming story is showing the circle of life.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[Charity Bartley Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nut That Fell from the Tree by Sangeeta Bhadra is a wonderful book that I can’t recommend enough. If you are a teacher this is a book you must have in your classroom library. If you are a parent you must have this book to read often to your child. If you are a grandparent, aunt or uncle then I recommend having this book available to read to the little ones in your life. Libraries need this book available whether it is a school library or a community library. The story is cute and the illustrations are colorful as well as creative. The story is rhyming and builds in a fun way. If you have read “The House That Jack Build” by Randolph Caldecott from 1878 it is set up the same way. Children will enjoy this story from little ones to mid-elementary as they join an acorn who turns into a tree. See what all the different animals experience along the way too. This is a must read aloud book to really have fun with it. It is also a nice book to help learn about animals and talk about plant life too.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cute, hilarious story seems like a mashup retelling of "The House The Jack Built" and that pesky pre-historic squirrel from Ice Age. It begs to read aloud during story time, maybe with accompanying flannel board cutouts or actions.

I like the emphasis on natural surroundings and different animals who might delight in a tasty acorn. Children will get a sneak-peek into the life go animals in a forest including a beaver's damn and a skunk's den. While not integral to the story, the illustrations offer readers a chance to slow down and take in the additional secret they reveal.

I also enjoyed the twist at the end that truly brought everything full-circle. Rather than being eaten by any of the forest-dwellers, as one might expect the story to end, the acorn is instead left to mature into a tree that holds the house of another child. The circle of life continues and this book, while silly, is a great introduction to that process.

[sparkypink · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this novel thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press in exchange for an honest review.

I will be honest and say that what drew me to this book was the title, which reminded me of a story told by a friend of mine years ago. The cover is underwhelming, and doesn’t have enough pull that I would stop to check it out if I saw it on a bookshelf. But, we all know not to judge a book by its cover.

The illustrations are beautiful and whimsical. I found myself stopping on every page just to check everything out. France Cormier did a great job with the details.

I typically like cumulative stories. This had me going for a while. And then it just switched gears and started a new cumulative part. I found myself having to re-read the pages several times to get back into the rhythm. That is where it lost me.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A progressive story that riffs on the classic rhyme “The House That Jack Built.” A little girl named Jill plays in a tree house. The tree drops an acorn, a rat steels the acorn, a blue jay takes the acorn from the rat, and so on in progressively longer verses until the acorn is buried by a squirrel. The acorn grows into another oak tree, where a kid named Jack plays. On the last page, his mom, clearly the Jill of the beginning, brings him a snack in his tree house. The rhyming works well, as the acorn gets taken by many different animals, and onomatopoeia helps animate the fun digital art of the animals, none of whom manage to hold on to the acorn, until the squirrel gets it. Kids will find the hapless animals amusing, and will enjoy pointing out how they can tell that the mom on the last page is the same person as the girl on the first page. A gently playful read.