Three up a Tree

by James Marshall

Lolly is much too busy sunning herself to help Sam and Spider build a tree house. So when they are finished, they don't want to let her play in it. But Lolly says she knows a good story to tell, and soon the three friends are gathered in the tree house. Who will tell the best story?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Humor

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

James Edward Marshall (October 10, 1942 – October 13, 1992), who also wrote as Edward Marshall, was a children's author and illustrator.

His father worked on the railroad, was a band member in the 1930s, and his mother sang in the local church choir. His family later moved to Beaumont, Texas. Marshall said: "Beaumont is deep south and swampy and I hated it. I knew I would die if I stayed there so I diligently studied the viola, and eventually won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory in Boston."[1] He entered the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, but injured his hand, ending his music career. He returned to Texas, where he attended San Antonio College, and later transferred to Southern Connecticut State University where he received degrees in French and history.

It is said that he discovered his vocation on a 1971 summer afternoon, lying on a hammock drawing. His mother was watching Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the main characters, George and Martha, ultimately became characters in one of his children's books. Marshall continued as a children's author until his untimely death in 1992 of a brain tumor. In 1998, George and Martha became the basis of an eponymous animated children's television show.

In addition to George and Martha, the lovable hippopotami, James Marshall created dozens of other uniquely appealing characters. He is well-known for his Fox series (which he wrote as "Edward Marshall"), as well as the Miss Nelson books, the Stupids, the Cut-ups, and many more. James Marshall had the uncanny ability to elicit wild delight from readers with relatively little text and simple drawings. With only two minute dots for eyes, his illustrated characters are able to express a wide range of emotion, and produce howls of laughter from both children and adults.

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Marshall creates such a great story line in his books. Even older kids like these books read aloud to them.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't like a combination of a tree house, friends, and stories?

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was fine, but after my 5yo and I read it together he very disdainfully said, "All three of them are bad at telling stories." Duly noted!

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

My youngest son carried the Miss Nelson Collection around for a week reading it any chance he'd get, so I checked out more James Marshall, although maybe Henry Allard + James Marshall was the key to Miss Nelson's success. This was about 3 kids who built their own tree house and then tried to tell the best story. Cute, but forgettable.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lolly joins Spider, and Sam in the tree house they built without her help. They decided to tell each other stories. The stories contained a doll, a chicken, a fox, and a monster, and were full of zaniness, and silliness much like Lolly, Spider, and Sam themselves.

[Fionna · Rating 4 out of 5]

good but not

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, funny easy reader.

[Kolla Floydian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonito y entretenido.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book of three short and silly stories that will entertain children. Monsters, ice cream and a bank-robbing chicken highlight these tales and our girls thought they were funny. With hilarious illustrations and a challenging, but fairly short narrative, my beginning reader enjoyed this book.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really impressed with this book that contains three stories within a story. I think it is also authentic in how children make up and tell stories. The pictures were fun and helpful.

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This is one of those rare stellar early reader books, Marshall accomplishing it here by kids telling each other full stories as part of the text and illustrations.