Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Oliver's Tree
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Penguin, 2014 ISBN: 978-0399257001
Lulu the bird, Oliver and elephant, and Charlie the rabbit are the best of friends. One day they are playing hide and seek in the forest and Oliver is the seeker. Not surprisingly, Lulu hides in a tree and try as he might Oliver cannot jump high enough to reach her. He thinks it is unfair of Lulu to hide in trees and says that trees “are out of bounds.” Lulu is not happy about this, so Charlie suggests that they find a tree that will suit Oliver, one that he can “play in too.”
Lulu, Charlie and Oliver discover that finding a tree that an elephant can sit in, even a small elephant, is not easy. Some are too small, some are too tall, and when they find one that seems just right, it turns out that the tree just isn’t strong enough. Poor Oliver. It would appear that “Elephants just don’t belong in trees.”
Sometimes we find ourselves facing a particularly sticky problem, a problem that does not seem to have a solution. Some people give up, but others work very hard to find a solution. In this charming picture book readers will meet two young animals who want to help their dearest friend and who don’t give up when they are confronted by a big, elephant-sized, dilemma. Delightfully sweet illustrations provide the perfect backdrop for a story that celebrates true friendship.
