Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Tom's Tree

Rate this book
Tom plants a seed. When it grows, Tom knows it will be a magical tree, full of fruit and peacocks and even a pirate house. But all the wishing and whispering in the world won't make the seeding grow big and strong. Tom has to be patient, and wait for the passing seasons to do their work.

25 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read

About the author

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
17 (30%)
4 stars
17 (30%)
3 stars
17 (30%)
2 stars
4 (7%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Ella.
42 reviews1 follower
July 22, 2022
“I really liked it. Because there’s a tree in it and it growed all the way up to the sky!”
20 reviews3 followers
June 9, 2013
MY REVIEW
Patience is something that is sometimes very, very difficult to have. This book teaches that if one has patience then good things can come from it. I liked this book because the author uses a variety of ways to show that time is passing. The author shows night and day go by, seasons change, and even decades go by, but does it in less than 30 pages without leaving the reader confused. I also like this book because it encourages children to have imaginations. Even though the older brother in the book tells Tom that the things he imagines are unrealistic, he still thinks them, and, eventually, his son see exactly what his father had imagined. My opinions one the artwork in the book are split. I think the the illustrator does a lovely job portraying the changing seasons, night/day, and the trees and landscapes. However, I'm not extremely fond of the human characters. Though they possess all the characteristics of a human, they seem flat and lifeless in comparison to the landscaping. But, in a book in which the main focus is a tree, I suppose that this isn't exactly a negative. The book features some good plant-related vocabulary including "shoot" and "bud". I think this book could be used to try and help children understand that sometimes some things are worth waiting for.

LEARNING EXTENSION
Materials Needed
*Wide, open space
*Marked Start and Finish Line
*Optional: Red and Green Signs to signal 'Stop' and 'Go'

1. Students will start at the start line. The will be lined up in one row. (This means that they all start as if they were in '1st place' position.)
2. The instructor will stand on the finish line, facing the children.
3. The teacher will announce "green light" (If using signs the instructor will hold up the green sign). At this signal the children are allowed to proceed forward toward the teacher.
4. The teacher will announce "red light"(If using signs the instructor will hold up the red sign and lower the green). At this signal the children must stop where they are and hold still. The children must have patience and await the instructors next command of "green light".
5.If a child moves during the "red light" portion of the game, they are required to return to the starting line.
6. Once all children have successfully made it to the finish line the game is over.
7. Speak with the children about how it made them feel to have to stand still during the "red light" portions of the game. Did it make them feel good when they were finally able to reach the finish line? How did it make them feel when they were not patient and had to go back to the starting line if they moved?
19 reviews
June 11, 2013
Tom's Tree as he imgaines it is filled wIth things that he likes and wants. The book teaches children about patience and love. Toms tree took many years to grow, but he still was able to enjoy that moment with his son. It allows children to see generations doing things together. The illustrations have great detail making it easier to imagine what Tom is going through. Vocabulary words could be planted and branches. Learning experience would be planting a tree outside and give it love while having patience.
Profile Image for Agnes.
244 reviews
October 16, 2009
The watercolor effect in the illustrations looks as if the book was water-damaged and the facial features of the characters seem non-existent. Reminiscent of The Giving Tree but the magical aspect is not as strong. This book deals more with not giving up and patience.
Profile Image for Linda Costello.
160 reviews2 followers
February 12, 2010
This book is the story of a boy who dreams about how big his tree will be. He plants it as a boy but it only reaches the height of his dreams when he is a grown man with a child of his own. It is a great story to discuss the life cyle of a plant and how to care for a plant.
154 reviews
October 16, 2014
This book is filled with adorable old fashion styled illustrations. The story points out how long it really does take for a tree to grow and the many seasons it has to endure before it becomes strong enough before a little boys imagination can fully be realized, even if it is a generation later.
Profile Image for Marie.
343 reviews6 followers
June 9, 2009
It takes imagination, faith, and patience to plant a tree. Luckily for Tom and later, Edward, Tom has all of these qualities.
Profile Image for Cara.
1,708 reviews
May 12, 2017
It was a cute book about a boy who plants a tree and impatiently waits for it to grow, but I thought the ending left a lot to be desired. It would have been cooler if Tom could also see the things he imagined in the tree when he was there holding his son.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.