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Tess's Tree (by Jess Brallier)

common sense media says

Sweet story of grief and healing is pitch perfect.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know this gentle book deals head-on with loss, walking young children through the process of grieving and teaching them how to heal and move on. The loss in this case is a tree, but to Tess it’s like losing a beloved playmate.

Positive messages: Tess releases first her anger by acting out, then her sadness by organizing a funeral with the loving participation of family and neighbors.
Positive role models: Tess shows creativity and consideration; her loving mother is supportive and proud of her daughter; several adults in her life share Tess’s grief and help her cope.
Violence & scariness: The story revolves around the loss of Tess’s tree after a violent storm, a loss she treats as a death.
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More on Tess's Tree

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about coping with loss. Have you ever felt like Tess does when her tree is taken down? How did you react? Did it help you feel better?
  • At the celebration of the life of Tess’s tree, Tess learns about the tree’s past. Help children interview someone older -- a grandparent, aunt, or neighbor, perhaps -- about something in their past, such as their first day of school, the house they grew up in, or what they did for fun as a child.
  • Families reading this book while dealing with a loss can try some of the activities Tess does. Try holding a celebratory funeral, or commemorate what you’ve lost through artwork.

What's the story?

What's the story?
Nine-year-old Tess loves playing on and around the old tree in her yard. When a storm damages several branches and the unsafe tree is sawed down, Tess is heartbroken. She decides to hold a funeral. Family, friends, and neighbors share their stories of how the tree had been a part of their lives. In the process, Tess is able to let go of her tears and anger.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
This is author Jess M. Brallier’s first picture book, and he gets it right in every way. Originally published online, TESS'S TREE makes a deserved transition to a printed book worth treasuring. Both children and parents will appreciate Brallier's honest, comforting text. He provides a playbook for parents and children trying to sort out feelings of grief and loss and focus on joyful memories. Kids will readily empathize with Tess as she struggles with difficult feelings. There are light touches, too, such as Tess decorating the tree’s “children” for the service and the appearance of a couple who had long ago carved their names into the old tree.
Peter H. Reynolds, author-illustrator of  The Dot, again offers delightful, sensitive illustrations. His Tess rampages fiercely after her tree is cut down, then collapses in a heartbroken heap on the stump. She’s simply drawn but wonderfully expressive.

Sensitively and beautifully drawn artwork reflects the warmth of the story.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Jess Brallier
Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication date: August 25, 2009
Number of pages: 32
Hardcover price: $16.99
Read Aloud: 4
Read Alone: 6
This review was written by Darienne Hosley Stewart
 
 

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age
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