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All from a Walnut: A Picture Book
A moving, multigenerational story about love, family roots, and the cycle of lifeWhen Emilia finds a walnut one morning, Grandpa tells her the story behind it: of his journey across the ocean to a new home, with only one small bag and a nut in his pocket.
“I planted my little tree in good brown soil, so it would grow strong here forever.”
“In this house? In this yard?”
“Shall we go see?”
Step by step, Grandpa teaches Emilia how to cultivate her own seed. But as her little nut grows, Grandpa begins to slow down—until one sad day, Emilia has to say goodbye. Emilia’s sapling looks as droopy as she feels . . . but she knows just what to do.
From acclaimed author and illustrator Ammi-Joan Paquette and Felicita Sala, this tender story is a poignant reminder that the best things grow with time—and that even when they are no longer here, the ones we love are always a part of us.
“I planted my little tree in good brown soil, so it would grow strong here forever.”
“In this house? In this yard?”
“Shall we go see?”
Step by step, Grandpa teaches Emilia how to cultivate her own seed. But as her little nut grows, Grandpa begins to slow down—until one sad day, Emilia has to say goodbye. Emilia’s sapling looks as droopy as she feels . . . but she knows just what to do.
From acclaimed author and illustrator Ammi-Joan Paquette and Felicita Sala, this tender story is a poignant reminder that the best things grow with time—and that even when they are no longer here, the ones we love are always a part of us.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2022
4 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Ammi-Joan Paquette
21 books84 followersAmmi-Joan Paquette has never met a ghost, mummy, monster, skeleton, or witch — as far as she knows. This book, she says, was inspired by a game she used to play with her sister: "Most of the details have been lost to time, but I still remember the shivery thrill I got when we played it. So, I drew on that same energy to write a spooky picture book, which eventually became A Ghost in the House." In addition to writing, Joan is also a literary agent representing authors of children’s books. She lives outside Boston with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 26, 2022
A story about family, and the roots that tie us together through even the biggest distances, All from a Walnut made me happy, sad, and grateful for the lessons my own family has taught me about patience, resilience, and hope.
September 22, 2022
This is such a gorgeous book!
The story is sad, but at the same time very hopeful and uplifting, a nice way of introducing the themes of departure, separation, and death to younger children.
The art is fabulous, in the naïf style, with so many wonderful details and colors.
I read the story quickly, then read it again right away, to take more time with each page and appreciate the work of the artist.
Highly recommended.
The story is sad, but at the same time very hopeful and uplifting, a nice way of introducing the themes of departure, separation, and death to younger children.
The art is fabulous, in the naïf style, with so many wonderful details and colors.
I read the story quickly, then read it again right away, to take more time with each page and appreciate the work of the artist.
Highly recommended.
March 15, 2022
Such a sweet story. I love it.
February 6, 2024
A walnut tree takes about 80 years to mature. And in 80 years, I'll be sitting in a rocking chair at the spry age of 93, still marveling at this book whilst eating walnuts.
Ammi-Joan Paquette's story All from a Walnut tells of Emilia and her grandfather. It's a story of one, two, three walnuts, the journey they undertake, and what will forever connect them. One morning, Emilia finds a walnut on her bedside table, prompting her grandfather to tell her the story of how, as a young boy, he left his homeland with only his family, his belongings - and a walnut. Subsequently, Emilia plants her walnut in a pot so that her walnut tree can soon thrive alongside her grandfather's tree in the backyard.
All from a Walnut is a comforting book full of colors, a gentle explanation for the inexplicable: While Emilia plants her walnut and watches the sprout grow, it slowly becomes clear that her grandfather won't be there forever. It's a book that delves into the passage of life and serves as a reminder that, even if we strike roots elsewhere, we still carry a piece of home and family within us. It's a hopeful book that tenderly addresses a heavy, abstract topic, lovingly bittersweet for readers young and old.
While granddaughter and grandfather discuss walnuts and trees in dialogue, illustrator Felicita Sala brings the story to life with brush and pencil. Using colored pencil on watercolor, Sala creates detailed and vibrant everyday scenes with muted colors that fill entire double pages with the lively suburban life of the family. As you read, you can immerse yourself in Emilia's life, sit at the abundantly set breakfast table, find loving details, and trace her grandfather's sepia-colored (or nut-colored?) memories. Sala uses her visual language to maintain the theme in parallel with the text and dialogue of the two main characters: The illustrations depict growth and the passage of time. My very personal highlight of this picture book is the 3 double pages where the setting and perspective remain the same: We look into the living room, at a dresser under a large window where Emilia's walnut tree thrives in a small pot. Next to it is Grandfather's leather armchair. With each page we turn, the sprout grows, but Grandfather grows weaker until he finally slumps floppily in his chair. Not only do the slowly wilting and eventually dead flowers in the background signify the passage of time but also the light filtering through the window. With each page, the light diminishes, the color tone becoming more sunset-ish as we go. A gentle transition from light to twilight, from life to death.
All from a Walnut is a story about family and death, about home, immigration, and farewells: Farewells to loved ones and farewells to homelands.
[The picture book is suitable for children aged 4 and up, but it'd also recommend for young kids reading on their own to have an adult companion. Because no matter how beautifully illustrated and warmly written, death remains a heavy, abstract topic, and a wonderful picture book like this one can at best serve as a helpful support in conversation, not a standalone explanation]
Ammi-Joan Paquette's story All from a Walnut tells of Emilia and her grandfather. It's a story of one, two, three walnuts, the journey they undertake, and what will forever connect them. One morning, Emilia finds a walnut on her bedside table, prompting her grandfather to tell her the story of how, as a young boy, he left his homeland with only his family, his belongings - and a walnut. Subsequently, Emilia plants her walnut in a pot so that her walnut tree can soon thrive alongside her grandfather's tree in the backyard.
All from a Walnut is a comforting book full of colors, a gentle explanation for the inexplicable: While Emilia plants her walnut and watches the sprout grow, it slowly becomes clear that her grandfather won't be there forever. It's a book that delves into the passage of life and serves as a reminder that, even if we strike roots elsewhere, we still carry a piece of home and family within us. It's a hopeful book that tenderly addresses a heavy, abstract topic, lovingly bittersweet for readers young and old.
While granddaughter and grandfather discuss walnuts and trees in dialogue, illustrator Felicita Sala brings the story to life with brush and pencil. Using colored pencil on watercolor, Sala creates detailed and vibrant everyday scenes with muted colors that fill entire double pages with the lively suburban life of the family. As you read, you can immerse yourself in Emilia's life, sit at the abundantly set breakfast table, find loving details, and trace her grandfather's sepia-colored (or nut-colored?) memories. Sala uses her visual language to maintain the theme in parallel with the text and dialogue of the two main characters: The illustrations depict growth and the passage of time. My very personal highlight of this picture book is the 3 double pages where the setting and perspective remain the same: We look into the living room, at a dresser under a large window where Emilia's walnut tree thrives in a small pot. Next to it is Grandfather's leather armchair. With each page we turn, the sprout grows, but Grandfather grows weaker until he finally slumps floppily in his chair. Not only do the slowly wilting and eventually dead flowers in the background signify the passage of time but also the light filtering through the window. With each page, the light diminishes, the color tone becoming more sunset-ish as we go. A gentle transition from light to twilight, from life to death.
All from a Walnut is a story about family and death, about home, immigration, and farewells: Farewells to loved ones and farewells to homelands.
[The picture book is suitable for children aged 4 and up, but it'd also recommend for young kids reading on their own to have an adult companion. Because no matter how beautifully illustrated and warmly written, death remains a heavy, abstract topic, and a wonderful picture book like this one can at best serve as a helpful support in conversation, not a standalone explanation]
November 14, 2022
an interesting story!! and always with an amazing illustration. it's really reminds me of my grandpa
May 19, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
A classic from-little-seeds-grow-mighty-trees book, presented by grandpa and grandchild.
My group, which is well aware of my bent toward family history and is imposed upon regularly with family tales. They are very familiar with the acorn-to-oak stories in their very own trees, so were 110% comfortable with this book.
A classic from-little-seeds-grow-mighty-trees book, presented by grandpa and grandchild.
My group, which is well aware of my bent toward family history and is imposed upon regularly with family tales. They are very familiar with the acorn-to-oak stories in their very own trees, so were 110% comfortable with this book.
January 4, 2024
If you ever want to find a children's book about death I apparently have a gift because every one I seem to pick off the shelf ends up being one. My poor kid. At least they're beautiful with delightful family traditions and grandparent relationships that seem dreamy to my grandparent-starved inner child.
August 25, 2024
Bittersweet at its finest
It is a light and beautiful story to teach our little ones how to treasure our deceased beloved people and how we can always keep them near us in any form or way. I love how it also shows us to keep our precious family traditions.
It is a light and beautiful story to teach our little ones how to treasure our deceased beloved people and how we can always keep them near us in any form or way. I love how it also shows us to keep our precious family traditions.
December 17, 2022
4.5/5 🌟
it's such a heartwarming story about walnut and family.🥺
it's such a heartwarming story about walnut and family.🥺
August 13, 2024
Membaca buku ini merasakan sebuah siklus hidup yg bisa dilihat dari pertumbuhan tanaman kenari, seperti genre slice of life pada umumnya buku ini bisa dirasakan pembaca membuat heartwarming.
March 26, 2022
Great story about traditions and a grandchild's connection to her grandfather.
read-for-work
February 11, 2025Felicita Sala always makes me feel right at home
September 16, 2023
Onions!!! All the onions!
November 6, 2022
….and I’m crying.
July 13, 2022
Emilia awakes one morning to find a walnut on her nightstand, placed there by her grandpa, who tells her the story of how he and his family traveled across the ocean with only one suitcase each...and a walnut Grandpa had tucked away inside his pocket. Grandpa planted the walnut in the yard of their new home and it grew into a tree. When her mother was Emilia's age, Grandpa gave her a walnut to plant. Now, it is Emilia's turn to plant her own walnut. As autumn turns to winter, Grandpa gets more and more tired. His hands are too wobbly to help Emilia re-pot her growing tree, so her mother helps. Emilia holds her grandpa close for as long as she can, then she says good-bye. Her walnut tree looks as sad as she feels but thanks to grandpa's stories, Emilia knows exactly what to do.
I really love books that don't sugar-coat death for children. Paquette does this by giving kids a way to frame death as a natural part of the life-cycle, using the metaphors of changing seasons to say good-bye and growing trees to convey a lasting connection to loved ones. Emilia finds a way to grieve and honour her grandpa's spirit in a way that that re-affirms family ties and traditions that will remain with her for always. Felicita Sala's water colour, gouache and coloured pencil illustrations are rich and lush, evoking the closeness of family amidst loss. The bookends feature a collection of suitcases, one open to reveal a tiny walnut inside to symbolize the hopes of an immigrant family. This lovely picture book would also make a great Early Reader.
I really love books that don't sugar-coat death for children. Paquette does this by giving kids a way to frame death as a natural part of the life-cycle, using the metaphors of changing seasons to say good-bye and growing trees to convey a lasting connection to loved ones. Emilia finds a way to grieve and honour her grandpa's spirit in a way that that re-affirms family ties and traditions that will remain with her for always. Felicita Sala's water colour, gouache and coloured pencil illustrations are rich and lush, evoking the closeness of family amidst loss. The bookends feature a collection of suitcases, one open to reveal a tiny walnut inside to symbolize the hopes of an immigrant family. This lovely picture book would also make a great Early Reader.
July 24, 2022
A walnut tree's life journey is explored through a gift from grandfather, a walnut that appears on Emilia's nightstand. In this case, her age and natural curiosity lead to an ongoing conversation with her aging grandfather, who was once "a little nut like you", but living far across a distant ocean.
In the course of their discussions Emilia learns that one of the towering trees in her yard grew from her grandfather's traveling-from-home walnut, and the second tree, also tall but not yet fully grown, grew from a walnut given to her mother at about the same age as Emilia is now.
With gentle but evocative illustrations, this multi-generational story is both loving and intense, incorporating the struggles of immigration, patience, grief, and hope. The closing scenes are both satisfying and stimulating, offering a spark to imagine how many more generations of life can be found in the lifetime of a tree, walnut by walnut.
In the course of their discussions Emilia learns that one of the towering trees in her yard grew from her grandfather's traveling-from-home walnut, and the second tree, also tall but not yet fully grown, grew from a walnut given to her mother at about the same age as Emilia is now.
With gentle but evocative illustrations, this multi-generational story is both loving and intense, incorporating the struggles of immigration, patience, grief, and hope. The closing scenes are both satisfying and stimulating, offering a spark to imagine how many more generations of life can be found in the lifetime of a tree, walnut by walnut.
April 18, 2022
This is a beautifully illustrated picturebook that incorporates the themes of patience, immigration, hard work, and the value of passing things on to the next generation, like Grandpa passes his walnut along to his granddaughter Emilia to plant (and explains how to watch over this plant). Great for a storytime about grandparents, gardening, or patience. This is also a great early reader for first and second grade or to read along with mom and dad for ages 4-7.
May 29, 2022
Life is beautiful and heartbreaking. I love the parallels between human and plant life cycles.
Thank you, Ammi-Joan Paquette and Felicita Sala! Many rich conversations will be had as parents and teachers share this story with young humans.
Thank you, Ammi-Joan Paquette and Felicita Sala! Many rich conversations will be had as parents and teachers share this story with young humans.
July 16, 2022
This beautiful story will be a new way for kids to experience, explore, and discuss our interconnectedness with our families, homes, and cultures. The words and art work together in an almost poetic way to help readers and listeners feel the power of this story. Definitely one to cuddle up with!
May 30, 2025
? De cover maakte me nieuwsgierig.
🤔Mooi prentenboek, mooie symboliek van de natuur (bomen) met het leven van de mens. De tekeningen passen er goed bij, met name de boom met het gezicht van de opa raakte mij.
MW 18/5/23
🤔Mooi prentenboek, mooie symboliek van de natuur (bomen) met het leven van de mens. De tekeningen passen er goed bij, met name de boom met het gezicht van de opa raakte mij.
MW 18/5/23
June 29, 2023
Beautiful illustrations. An introduction to death. Recommended for introducing the idea of death after reading "Pumpkin Jack" by Will Hubbell. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
March 11, 2023
What a heartwarming story, that spans generational love and shows this love through the planting of walnut trees.
April 15, 2022
This moving picture book is a 3.5 for me. Touching on topics such as grief, loss, family, and journeys, the story might help some young readers cope with their own losses by remembering their loved ones and the lessons they taught them. Emilia's grandfather gives her a walnut one morning and then tells her how he carried a walnut just like it and one bag when he and his family left Europe for their new home in the United States. He planted the nut, nurtured it, and then took it with him when his family moved. Eventually, he planted the sapling in the back yard of the new house he and his wife bought. It grew and grew, and their daughter, Emilia's mother, also planted a nut for her own tree. Now it was Emilia's turn to do the same. Even while her grandfather is teaching Emilia about how to care for the seed, she can see that he is slowing down and growing more feeble. After his death, she is bereft, but she finds solace in transplanting her walnut sapling from an indoor pot to a spot near the other trees and knowing that his stories and all that her grandfather taught her will be a part of her, keeping the two of them close. And she knows that one day she, too, will pass on her grandfather's story about the walnut as well as a walnut for her child to plant. The author's careful handling of the aging process, referred to as his "batteries running low" (unpaged), and death, describing it as a "great journey" (unpaged) is particularly effective. Created with watercolor, gouache, and colored pencils, the illustrations are suffused with rich colors, especially soft greens and pale, pale yellows that evoke a feeling of time passing and fleeting moments. Educators might consider pairing this one with Sharon Dennis Wyeth's The Granddaughter Necklace, which describes another family treasure passed down from one generation to the next. All this emotion, this history, this awareness, and these bonds that transcend death, all of it came from a small walnut, a priceless treasure.
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July 11, 2022“As she dug, Emilia thought of Grandpa’s journey. Her own tree had come from a nut that had come from his tree. They would always be a part of each other.”
One morning, Emilia wakes to find a walnut resting on her nightstand. After carrying the nut downstairs, Emilia finds her grandfather waiting to let her in on a beloved rite of passage in their family: planting her very own walnut tree. Beginning with the day he left his homeland for an unfamiliar continent, Emilia’s grandfather tells her the story of a walnut that grew into a tree and the boy who grew up alongside it. Just like that of trees, the human life cycle has a beginning and an end. But, as Emilia learns, every ending is a new beginning of its own.
All from a Walnut is a beautiful story about family, love, and loss. This picture book conveys the close bond between Emilia and her elderly grandfather and the pain of saying goodbye to a loved one with an incredible amount of tenderness. Felicita Sala’s soothing illustrations, with their earthy color scheme and emphasis on nature, act as... To read the rest of this review, head over to our website: All from a Walnut | Ammi-Joan Paquette
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
One morning, Emilia wakes to find a walnut resting on her nightstand. After carrying the nut downstairs, Emilia finds her grandfather waiting to let her in on a beloved rite of passage in their family: planting her very own walnut tree. Beginning with the day he left his homeland for an unfamiliar continent, Emilia’s grandfather tells her the story of a walnut that grew into a tree and the boy who grew up alongside it. Just like that of trees, the human life cycle has a beginning and an end. But, as Emilia learns, every ending is a new beginning of its own.
All from a Walnut is a beautiful story about family, love, and loss. This picture book conveys the close bond between Emilia and her elderly grandfather and the pain of saying goodbye to a loved one with an incredible amount of tenderness. Felicita Sala’s soothing illustrations, with their earthy color scheme and emphasis on nature, act as... To read the rest of this review, head over to our website: All from a Walnut | Ammi-Joan Paquette
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook @pinereadsreview and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
April 20, 2022
All from a Walnut reads best through teary eyes. It is a story within a story – an immigration story and then a look at two generations later. Grandfather comes to America during the great immigration. He has only a small bag and a walnut in his pocket. He plants the walnut seed in his new land. It grows to be a magnificent giant over the decades. And so, his story is retold to his daughter and granddaughter. As he grows old, he encourages his granddaughter to plant a walnut. When she must say her finals goodbyes to him, caring for her own walnut sapling eases her sorrow.
The endpapers hint of the immigration story. The walnut seed illustrated in the front and back of the book is symbolic of a family taking roots in a new place. The full-page spreads throughout the book have beautiful illustrations of family and nature. The muted tones cause one to think of this as a story looking back into one’s treasure chest of memories.
Passing along family stories and memories is essential. This book might encourage families to share their own personal stories and talk about their traditions.
The endpapers hint of the immigration story. The walnut seed illustrated in the front and back of the book is symbolic of a family taking roots in a new place. The full-page spreads throughout the book have beautiful illustrations of family and nature. The muted tones cause one to think of this as a story looking back into one’s treasure chest of memories.
Passing along family stories and memories is essential. This book might encourage families to share their own personal stories and talk about their traditions.
May 28, 2022
“All the best things grow with time. Even when you can’t see them, still they grow.”
When Emilia’s grandfather was a young boy and came to this country, he brought a walnut with him and planted it in a pot. It traveled with him and his family. When it was ready to be planted in the ground, Emilia’s grandfather had met her grandmother and they lived in their own house. That’s when he planted the walnut tree in the ground.
Now Emilia’s grandfather has given her her own seed to plant and tend. Her grandfather shows her how to care for the sprout. But soon her grandfather’s hands get wobbly. “Emilia held her grandfather close for as long as she could. Then she said goodbye.”
But even with the passing of her grandfather, the tradition lives on. And when Emilia finally plants her tree in the ground, she knows that she and her grandfather “would always be a part of each other.”
Sweet story
When Emilia’s grandfather was a young boy and came to this country, he brought a walnut with him and planted it in a pot. It traveled with him and his family. When it was ready to be planted in the ground, Emilia’s grandfather had met her grandmother and they lived in their own house. That’s when he planted the walnut tree in the ground.
Now Emilia’s grandfather has given her her own seed to plant and tend. Her grandfather shows her how to care for the sprout. But soon her grandfather’s hands get wobbly. “Emilia held her grandfather close for as long as she could. Then she said goodbye.”
But even with the passing of her grandfather, the tradition lives on. And when Emilia finally plants her tree in the ground, she knows that she and her grandfather “would always be a part of each other.”
Sweet story
February 12, 2023
Meinung:
Aus leider traurigem, familiären Anlass, habe ich dieses Buch meinem Neffen um Original geschenkt. Und dieses Buch war dabei nicht nur eine große Hilfe, sondern greift das Thema der Trauer auf eine für Kinder angemessene und sehr verständliche, aber eben auch hoffnungsvolle Art auf, die sogar den Erwachsenen, welche das Lesen begleiten, ein wenig Hoffnung und Trost spenden kann.
Denn das Buch, welches zu meist aus sehr schönen natürlichen und farblich eher gedeckten, sehr hübschen Illustrationen besteht, strahlt eine solche Wärme und nahbare Art aus, die bei diesem Thema sehr sehr wichtig ist.
Doch neben den Illustrationen, weiß auch die erzählt Geschichte sehr zu überzeugen und wählt den richtigen Ton.
Für mich ein unheimlich wichtiges, sehr warmes und besonderes Buch, das ich nur jedem ans Herz legen kann, der seine Kinder an dieses Thema heranführen will, ob gezwungenermaßen oder einfach so.
Aus leider traurigem, familiären Anlass, habe ich dieses Buch meinem Neffen um Original geschenkt. Und dieses Buch war dabei nicht nur eine große Hilfe, sondern greift das Thema der Trauer auf eine für Kinder angemessene und sehr verständliche, aber eben auch hoffnungsvolle Art auf, die sogar den Erwachsenen, welche das Lesen begleiten, ein wenig Hoffnung und Trost spenden kann.
Denn das Buch, welches zu meist aus sehr schönen natürlichen und farblich eher gedeckten, sehr hübschen Illustrationen besteht, strahlt eine solche Wärme und nahbare Art aus, die bei diesem Thema sehr sehr wichtig ist.
Doch neben den Illustrationen, weiß auch die erzählt Geschichte sehr zu überzeugen und wählt den richtigen Ton.
Für mich ein unheimlich wichtiges, sehr warmes und besonderes Buch, das ich nur jedem ans Herz legen kann, der seine Kinder an dieses Thema heranführen will, ob gezwungenermaßen oder einfach so.
May 3, 2022
Storytime Themes: Family
This one is kind of a departure for me. I don't usually go for picture books with a more somber story. But this one is presented so sweetly that I think kids would enjoy it. It shows a girl, Emilia, having a good relationship with her grandfather and learning about a tradition in their family where everyone gets to grow a walnut tree. Over time, her grandfather gets older and eventually passes away, but Emilia focuses on the things that he taught her and her memories of him and how she wants to pass those down to her children.
This is something that everyone can relate to - the love of family and having a good relationship with parents and grandparents. It doesn't have to be preachy or overbearing. Just sweet and heartfelt.
Another one for my Beehive Consideration list for next year :)
This one is kind of a departure for me. I don't usually go for picture books with a more somber story. But this one is presented so sweetly that I think kids would enjoy it. It shows a girl, Emilia, having a good relationship with her grandfather and learning about a tradition in their family where everyone gets to grow a walnut tree. Over time, her grandfather gets older and eventually passes away, but Emilia focuses on the things that he taught her and her memories of him and how she wants to pass those down to her children.
This is something that everyone can relate to - the love of family and having a good relationship with parents and grandparents. It doesn't have to be preachy or overbearing. Just sweet and heartfelt.
Another one for my Beehive Consideration list for next year :)
June 22, 2022
A young girl, Emilia, wakes up one morning to a walnut on her bedside table. Her grandfather tells her about his journey to this country from far away. All he was allowed to bring with him was a small sack of belongings and a small walnut. When he arrived in his new country he planted the seed in a pot and watered it and watched it grow. When he got older he planted the newly sprouted tree into the ground in the backyard of his new house.
Her grandfather helps Emilia plant her walnut and water it and watch it grow. As time passes her nut sprouts and grows as her grandfather begins to fail. When he passes away Emilia transplants her sprouted tree into the ground next to her grandfather's tree.
A good book to illustrate the passage of time. A beautiful story overall. Not recommended for storytime due to the nature of the story.
Her grandfather helps Emilia plant her walnut and water it and watch it grow. As time passes her nut sprouts and grows as her grandfather begins to fail. When he passes away Emilia transplants her sprouted tree into the ground next to her grandfather's tree.
A good book to illustrate the passage of time. A beautiful story overall. Not recommended for storytime due to the nature of the story.
October 23, 2022
I wish I had read this with my grandchildren to find out what they think of it. As much as I appreciated this book, (I am a sucker for these kinds of generational relationships) I wonder if they would find it as engaging.
It's the story of an immigrant family bringing a seed from home and planting it in their new country. In this case, the walnut tree grows tall while the boy who planted it becomes elderly and frail. He gives a nut from the tree to his granddaughter and tells her the story of how she came to receive it. Together they plant it in a pot and nurture it.
When he eventually dies, the girl and her mother plant the sapling outside beside the mother's and grandfather's trees.
I liked how this story shows us death in the larger context of the cycle of life, but doesn't diminish the young girl's grief.
It's the story of an immigrant family bringing a seed from home and planting it in their new country. In this case, the walnut tree grows tall while the boy who planted it becomes elderly and frail. He gives a nut from the tree to his granddaughter and tells her the story of how she came to receive it. Together they plant it in a pot and nurture it.
When he eventually dies, the girl and her mother plant the sapling outside beside the mother's and grandfather's trees.
I liked how this story shows us death in the larger context of the cycle of life, but doesn't diminish the young girl's grief.
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