The together tree

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The together tree

Title:

The together tree

Author:

Saeed, Aisha, author.

Pham, LeUyen, illustrator.

Summary:

At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for being different and wearing bright shoes. He finds refuge beneath the old willow tree by the playground and builds his own world of hope and dreams of belonging. One day, when Rumi is made a target again, one of his classmates bravely steps in to defend him. It’s in that moment of solidarity Rumi’s class finally realizes that under the shade of the willow tree, all are welcome, and they create a space they can all play in—together. -- Amazon.

Audience:

Ages 4-8. Salaam Reads.

Grades K-1. Salaam Reads.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 29 cm

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Moving, Household -- Juvenile fiction.

Bullies -- Juvenile fiction.

Bullying -- Juvenile fiction.

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.

Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction.

Author(s):

Pham, LeUyen,

Publisher:

Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9781534462960

Publication Information:

New York : Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2023.

Call Number:

P SAEED

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003665372	New Picture Books	SAEED	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

All Are Welcome meets Be Kind in this poignant and accessible picture book about the power every bystander--no matter how small--has to extend kindness and stand up in the face of intolerance.

At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for being different and wearing bright shoes. He finds refuge beneath the old willow tree by the playground and builds his own world of hope and dreams of belonging.

One day, when Rumi is made a target again, one of his classmates bravely steps in to defend him. It's in that moment of solidarity Rumi's class finally realizes that under the shade of the willow tree, all are welcome, and they create a space they can all play in--together.

Author Notes

Aisha Saeed is the author of Written in the Stars , which was listed as a Best Book of 2015 by Bank Street Books, a 2016 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and named one of the Top Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read in 2016. She is also the author of the middle grade novel Amal Unbound , which has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews and is a Global Read Aloud for 2018. Her other picture books include Bilal Cooks Daal and The Together Tree . Aisha is a founding member of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books. She has been featured on MTV, HuffPost , NBC, and the BBC, and her writings have appeared in publications including the journal ALAN and the Orlando Sentinel .

LeUyen Pham has illustrated more than fifty books, including board books, picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Bronze Medal in the Children's Book category, and Best Books of the Year lists in publications such as Kirkus Reviews , The Horn Book Magazine , and Comic Book Resource s. She is also a New York Times bestseller for Grace for President , written by Kelly DiPucchio; Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully , written by Julianne Moore; and Princess in Black , written by Shannon and Dean Hale. Born in Vietnam, LeUyen came to the United States at the end of the Vietnam War when she was only two. She studied illustration at The Art Center College of Design, and for a short period of time worked at DreamWorks Animation as a layout artist before turning to illustration full time. She lives with her husband (who is also an artist) and two sons in Los Angeles. Visit her online at LeUyenPham.com.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

When Rumi moves across the country, his new teacher's request that the class make him "feel at home" goes unheeded. During recess, most of the students, shown as racially diverse, ignore Rumi, who's portrayed with brown skin and black hair. White-presenting Asher insults him ("His shoes are ugly"), and another light-skinned student laughs. East Asian-presenting Han "didn't think it was funny," but says nothing. Over the next few days, Asher continues to harass Rumi, who sits alone, "twirling a twig beneath the shady old willow tree," portrayed by Pham (Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn) in layered scenes as a majestic bower of delicate green leaves. The escalating situation peaks with a stone thrown at Rumi, an event that pushes Han to act, precipitating a discovery about the new classmate and offering the kids a way forward. Han's action is the fulcrum in this compassionate tale about turning bystanders into upstanders, and the move to offer solace to Rumi rather than to confront Asher offers readers another way to intervene when there is conflict. An author's note discusses the personal seeds of this story by Saeed (Amal Unbound). Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Taylor Martindale Kean, Full Circle Literary. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (May)