My Tree

by Hope Lim, Il Sung Na (Illustrator)

When a young boy's beloved plum tree falls in a storm, he feels like he's lost both a friend and a connection to his old home.

A young boy, recently arrived from Korea, finds a glorious plum tree in his new backyard. It reminds him of a tree his family had back home, and he names it "Plumee" for the deep purple plums on its branches. Whenever the boy is homesick, he knows he can take shelter in Plumee's tall branches.

And when a storm brings the old tree down, he and his friends have all kinds of adventures on its branches, as it becomes a dragon, a treehouse, and a ship in their imaginations. But soon it's time to say goodbye when the remains of the tree are taken away. Before long, a new plum tree is planted, new blossoms bloom, and a new friendship takes root.

A South Korean immigrant herself, Hope Lim brings her perspective on the struggle for child immigrants to feel at home to bear through spare, poetic text, perfectly matched by soft, lyrical illustrations by Korean artist Il Sung Na.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Friendship, Family, Realistic Fiction, Aapi

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 4, 2021

About the author

Hope Lim is the author of I AM A BIRD (Candlewick), MY TREE (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House) and MOMMY’S HOMETOWN (Candlewick), SOURGRASS (Beach Lane Books/S&S) and AT THE WINDOW (Candlewick). Born and raised in South Korea, Hope currently lives in San Francisco with her family and puppy, Bear.

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A child shares the story of the cycle of life of a tree (that reminds them of the home they left) through the seasons of the year. My favorite part was the storm that reminded me of the storm in David Wiesner's Hurricane.

[Mindy Alyse Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow—so much emotion in this beautiful and lyrical story about a boy and a tree that makes a new house in a new country feel like home. This should help encourage kids to find a piece of something familiar in new situations.

I especially love the imaginative fun with friends, the spread with all the seasons plus discovering hidden creatures.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young boy moves from Korea to the US and finds solace and comfort in the plum tree at his new home. A storm takes the tree and the boy must mourn the loss. Beautiful look at navigating the changes our lives. I liked the illustrations as well.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful meditation on the healing power of nature. A young boy misses Korea and bonds with the plum tree in his yard, which reminds him of his old home. We watch the two spending time together until something happens to Plumee, and the boy must learn how to truly make himself at home in his new country.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this is about immigration or adoption. But it's also about grief and healing.

And about neighbors who don't know how to raise their children to be brave enough to get a scraped arm w/out causing a fuss; a downed tree is important, and so is courage, and so is imagination.

Also, you can't just go out and buy a replacement for someone you've lost. Now, the book doesn't actually say that, and in fact there is information 'between the lines' that indicates that it was the child's idea, after a period of grief for the old tree, to get a"young" (not new) tree.

Nice book but just not quite all it could have been and wanted to be.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book! A young boy who has recently moved from Korea is thrilled to discover an old plum tree in his backyard. It reminds him of the persimmon tree that grew in the yard in Korea. He names the tree Plumee and his relationship with the tree helps him feel more at home. The book follows Plumee and the boy through the seasons as he gradually makes other friends and adapts to his new home. One spring evening, a storm blows through town and uproots Plumee. The boy is sad - but the many new friends he has made all come to play on Plumee one last time before the tree is taken away. But that, of course, is not the end of the story.

I am a big fan of trees. That may sound odd, but I fondly remember the giant magnolia tree that grew in the front yard. I would climb it and pretend I could see forever from the top. I imagine I was strongly influenced by Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "Foreign Lands" from A Child's Garden of Verses. And so, like the tree in this book - the magnolia tree was my friend. Though I don't recall giving it a name. But this book did bring back fond memories of favorite trees.

A great book to read with kids experiencing a new move to an unfamiliar area to encourage them to look for things that remind them of home.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 4 out of 5]

A uniquely written story about the changes of life and how to find joy in each circumstance. A young boy recently moves from Korea and finds comfort in a tree that reminds him of home. The boy spends much time caring for and playing around the tree, until one day a storm takes the tree down. Trying to embrace life’s change, the boy finds a new joy in using his imagination to play on the fallen tree. In time, the fallen tree has to be removed and his dad plants a new tree. Though the boy is sad, he finds new joy in caring for what now stands in the place of his old tree friend. This is a cute book that I would recommend to read to kids and talk about finding joy and purpose in every situation of life.

[Sue Cottrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, quiet story about a boy finding comfort in an old Plum tree in the backyard of his new home in America. Because it reminds him of his native country, Korea, it helps him settle into his new life. I love the poetry of this situation: the tree helping the boy establish his roots. When the unthinkable happens, the boy turns to his imagination (illustrated in a charmingly inventive sequence) and relies on his love of nature to finally feel at home in his new country. The artwork is astounding. The illustrations are crisp, sophisticated and rich in fun detail. Perfect for the little nature lover or child who’s trying to settle into a new place or situation.

[Hannah Peddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a little boy who moved from Korea into a new home in America. The plum tree in the backyard reminded him of his old home and made him feel safe. When the tree was swept down during a storm, the little boy enjoyed the tree in a new way. After it was time for the tree to go, the boy and his family planted a new plum tree in its place. I would use this book in my classroom library to represent Korean culture. I like how the book connects children with nature and discusses how important nature can be in some people's lives.

[Mya Motley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Tree" is a story that delves into a particular tree's emotional and symbolic significance to the protagonist. It explores themes like nature, personal growth, and the passage of time, weaving them together to create a reflective narrative. I would use this book in classrooms to promote open-mindedness to students, critical thinking, and friendliness. I'd use the book for fun activities to explain difficult topics and encourage my students to solve problems independently. I recommend this book for elementary students ages 4-8.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a tree in the boy's backyard. He loves the tree. This is the story. The boy has immigrated from Korea, but that is not the story. Other than the fact that the boy was from Korea, there is nothing intriguing about it. It's not an immigration story, and that's OK, but I'm not sure why it was even mentioned then. A rather boring story that I've seen a million times. I didn't find the writing all that fantastic.

[Azy Ivester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved My Tree, the illustrations are beautiful and colorful and perfectly display the feelings of the child and the child's perspective. The tree Plumee symbolizes something so special to the child that everyone could relate to. The tree serves the child with a great source of comfort and joy that they are willing to share with others! This book is gentle and kind and displays the beauty of growth, imagination, and care.

[Samantha Li · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy finds a plum tree in his backyard, which reminds him of his home in Korea. He loves this tree and spends a lot of time with it. When another child gets injured on the tree, the tree is sadly torn down.

I didn't love this book as much as other stories of young Asian immigrants and felt the overall messages could have been stronger.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 4
Illustrations: 4
Read aloud: 4

As a tree lover, I loved this book. We had to cut down some of our beloved (dead) aspen trees this summer and we’re still not used to their absence. Looking forward to planting new trees in the fall!

My daughter said this reminded her of A Tree for Emmy, which we also love (and I like better).

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A homesick immigrant boy finds solace in a tree that reminds him of Korea and teaches him about reverence, impermanence, interdependence, and the sacred circle of life. Engaging illustrations poignantly underscore how friendship can literally be a sheltering tree, to paraphrase the line from “Youth and Age” by the great poet and nature lover Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text with simple illustrations involves a story about a boy who has moved from Korea to America. A plum tree reminds him of his home and connects him from past to present. The boy cares for the tree, plays in the tree, and there is a mutual acceptance until a storm uproots his friend. The story moves the reader through the seasons and life moments.

[Adeline Arpin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a young boy moves away from his birth home in Korea, he finds comfort in an old plume tree in his backyard. After a storm, the tree falls, and awhile after it falls, it is taken away from the house. The young boy feels lost without the tree, until one day, his father helps him plant a new friend exactly where his old friend lived.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book a lot. The story is very simple and upfront. The character had a lot of memories with this tree and explained the many amazing characteristics about the tree. Even when the tree was gone, planting a new tree demonstrates that there is still good and room to go even when the things you know are gone.

[Julie Rowan-Zoch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not all children can grow up with a tree to call a friend, but for those who did and do this beautifully illustrated book will bring the memories rushing in with all the right words. And for all who grieve any sort of friend. Simple, poignant perfection.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small story about a big thing or a big story about a small thing depending on how you look at it. If you love trees, you will understand this. The style of illustrations feels quite different from Na's previous work. This is not a bad thing, just an observation.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and thoughtful story about a child's enjoyment of a large and weathered plum tree in his backyard. When a storm knocks over the tree that has been a source of so much imagination and adventure, what will happen next?

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful and simple book about a boy missing his tree that reminds him of Korea. The pictures are unique and fantastically drawn. The story also gives one the feeling of home and hope and change.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 14-month-old was riveted to this book, turning each page and then patting it to make sure it stayed in place while I read. 💜 I love the illustrations in this. It’s a very sweet story. I loved that it was about a plum tree, as we have a plum tree in our backyard.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could relate to this little boy's love for his tree in his backyard. He had one similar in Korea and it was his friend and made him feel at home. change always happens and it's many time difficult but this book has a happy ending.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story of a recent immigrant from Korea finding comfort in the Plum Tree behind his house-which he promptly names Plumee. I loved this quote: "Plumee made me feel at home." It's also a story of grief, but moving on and making more beauty. Thank you Holiday House.

[Victoria Boswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that this book discusses the importance of identifying with your homeland. A child who has moved countries would love this book and it encourages children to find something to represent their culture even in a foreign area.

[Kip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy's friendship with a tree. Much more functional relationship than Boy and Giving Tree. Nice section where he finds adventure and excitement in the downed tree, but ultimately doesn't give the same warm roundness of similar books on this topic.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle story about friendship, change, and embracing new beginnings, told through a little boy's connection with a tree in his new yard upon moving from South Korea to the US.

[Adrianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - A better love story than Twilight The Giving Tree