Someday a Tree

by Eve Bunting, Ronald Himler (Illustrations)

Alice is dismayed when one day the leaves on the old oak tree start to fall. Although she can't save the tree, Alice remembers something that gives her hope: the acorns she collected when the tree was still healthy.

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

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.

In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someday a Tree by Eve Bunting, Illustrator -Ronald Himler – Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates the story of an oak tree faces peril. The tree will die soon. Young Alice and her family have grown with the tree. They have shared their moments of sorrow and happiness under its shade. Now, they are distraught. People near and far offer help, but the tree seems to have lost its fight. What Alice has collected its seeds and she sows them with the hope that oak tree will grow again. The book is relevant in the present context that earth’s green cover is decreasing every day. Spread of industry is based on cutting down forest and agricultural land. The book has a message for readers that we must grow more trees and protect the environment for future generations.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

About the joy of a tree and family traditions and stories.
And about how easily someone can mess something up, even maybe without meaning to.
But then it's about seeds of hope.

Interesting to read with The Shady Tree andApple Tree Christmas.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how much this family in this story love this tree. I love the faith in the goodness of other people that is exhibited in the book - how the husband says that he's sure people didn't mean to harm the tree on purpose. And I love that while there is no solution there a next best option. Sometimes there are no solutions in life and sometimes we have to reach for the next best option. This book illustrates that.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so depressing, but pretty good. A favorite family tree gets poisoned somehow. It dies, but she had collected acorns from it before the poisoning, so she plants them and hopes to grow another tree. I wish the ending had flashed forward to show either a nice tree growing or no tree at all. I feel that the ending was lacking.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a venerable mature tree is poisoned, a girl whose family made memories under the tree grieves. Then she plants acorns in hope of a new beginning.
Use as a discussion starter for Earth Day, environmental issues.
May also tie-in with neighborliness, grief, and Creation/Fall Bible lessons.
Recommended for lower to middle elementary grades. Reading level L.

[Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I wasn't sure where the story was going at first, but I was extremely satisfied with the ending. It's a great book to read when talking about giving back to the Earth or when talking about legacies.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual but I think really helpful take on grief -- about a thing and place that's really important to us changing or dying. (Also tied into some environmental messages here.) And then about finding a way towards hope and something new after.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about taking care of the world around us.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow such a sad and heart wrenching book. O and I used to go to the park with a picnic, a book and our pup and read under a tree... this is a great book to read with kids so they can realize how easy it can be to hurt nature and how devastating the results can be.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade Levels: 2-5
This is a story about a girl named Alice and an old oak tree whose leaves begin; Alice realizes that she can’t save the tree, but she remembers the acorns that she collected from the tree when it was still healthy. It discusses how harmful environmental factors and issues can affect plants. It may be used to prompt students’ critical thinking or to initiate a discussion about ways to save our environment and preserve our plant and animal life.

[Kristen Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about a girl named Alice and an old oak tree whose leaves begin; Alice realizes that she can’t save the tree, but she remembers the acorns that she collected from the tree when it was still healthy. It discusses how harmful environmental factors and issues can affect plants. It may be used to prompt students’ critical thinking or to initiate a discussion about ways to save our environment and preserve our plant and animal life.

[Donna]

SOMEDAY A TREE Trees. They are magnificent in so many invaluable ways. Some even work their way into our hearts, just as the tree in this bittersweet book by Eve Bunting. A beloved oak faces peril and young Alice and her family are distraught. People near and far offer help, but the tree seems to have lost its fight. What Alice realizes in the end offers hope and renewal. Someday a Tree is a beautiful, must-read book at any age.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! The perfect book for a day between Earth Day and Arbor Day. This is the kind of book that evokes memories and also compassion. I really liked this book. I want to share it with others now. Himler and Bunting hit the jackpot this time. The tree has memories for the family, and when it grows ill, the result is a great public response to the the tree's withering. Really moving book. Kind of sad, but hopeful.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A child with an idyllic country life describes her and her community's effort to save a tree. Touches on themes of environmentalism, as a special, old tree is killed by someone dumping chemicals illegally.

[Hatka Kecalovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book can be used in Kindergarten-2 grade classrooms. This book can be used for lessons on plants and conservation of trees. This book can also be used for lessons on seasons. This book can also be used for cause and effect relationships. This book can also be used for discussions on family.

[Brenda Pritchard]

preschool--> school age children; Narrative Skills, phonological awareness, print motivation;

This book is about a family who lose their tree to someone who poisoned it. The family talks about all the memories that happened by the tree.

[Maimoona Albar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to hate the unhappy ending, but some books changed my mind and this book is one of them. I like how the author introduces the concept of death, and I like how she ends the story. It is a good teaching book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture book with longer text. Would work well as a read aloud with older children and/or as part of an environmental/living in nature story time.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you: http://www.indiebound.org

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a wonderful, old oak tree dying - a wonderful, old oak tree that has been killed. UGH!