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Bare Tree and Little Wind: A Story for Holy Week

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Bare Tree and Little Wind: A Story for Holy Week

eBookDigital original (NOOK Kids - Digital original)

$7.99

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eBook(NOOK Kids - Digital original)
$7.99

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Overview

A lyrical, captivating retelling of the Palm Sunday and Easter story from National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins, author of Rickshaw Girl, that is sure to become a beloved tradition for families of faith.

Little Wind and the trees of Jerusalem can't wait for Real King to visit. But Little Wind is puzzled when the king doesn't look how he expected. His wise friend Bare Tree helps him learn that sometimes strength is found in sacrifice, and new life can spring up even when all hope seems lost.

This story stands apart for its imagination, endearing characters, and how it weaves Old Testament imagery into Holy Week and the promise of Jesus's triumphant return. While the youngest readers will connect to the curious Little Wind, older children and parents will appreciate the layers of meaning and Scriptural references in the story, making it a book families can enjoy together year after year.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593234884
Publisher:	The Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/22/2022
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	61 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Mitali Perkins has written many books for young readers. She has been nominated for a National Book Award, honored as a "Most Engaging Author" by independent booksellers, selected as a "Literary Light for Children" by the Associates of the Boston Public Library, and was invited to serve as a judge for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize. Mitali was born in Kolkata, India, before immigrating to the United States. She has also lived in Bangladesh, England, Thailand, Mexico, Cameroon, and Ghana, studied at Stanford and U.C. Berkeley, and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Khoa Le is the author and illustrator of numerous picture books. She currently lives with her cats and has a passion for traveling and discovering different cultures and stories. She has been honored by the Singapore Book Council as the winner of the Grand Prize Samsung KidsTime Authors Award and the second runner-up of the Scholastic Picture Book Award.

Read an Excerpt

Little Wind skipped through Jerusalem’s palm trees.

His visit made their green fronds clap.

Little Wind took a bow.

“One day we will clap on our own,” Tall Tree said.

“When?” asked Little Wind.

“When Real King comes,” Tall Tree answered.

Little Wind’s next stop was Dead Garden.

Nothing grew there. Bare Tree stood scarred with cuts and scrapes.

No fronds. No fruit. No flowers.

Little Wind tried to move her.

He puffed. “Where are your dates?”

She didn’t stir. “Sold for honey.”

He gusted. “Where are your seeds?”

She didn’t budge. “Crushed for oil.”

“And your fronds?” He was running out of breath.

“Used for a roof,” she said.

Panting, Little Wind whirled around her one last time.

A few leftover shreds fell off her trunk.

“Thank you,” Bare Tree said. “Those were itchy.”

She’ll never clap, Little Wind thought.

Not even if Real King comes.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

02/07/2022
Broadly inspired by scripture, Perkins draws on nature to illuminate the story of Holy Week in this wide-ranging picture book. When Little Wind, humanized with a brown-skinned child’s face, blows into Jerusalem, a tall tree reveals that palm fronds will clap without need of the wind’s assistance “when Real King comes,” but Little Wind doubts that will be the case for frondless Bare Tree in Dead Garden nearby. As time passes, Real King does arrive, taking the form of light-brown-skinned Quiet Man, but he suddenly—and without much context for those who don’t know the story—hangs on a cross. Later, bold-hued, chaotic scenes depict the city burning, and Little Wind eventually revisits now-scorched Bare Tree, unexpectedly finding that she’s grown a few golden flowers. Inspired, the pair decide to scatter the blossoms’ seeds “far and wide” so that Bare Tree’s children “can clap around the world” when Real King again returns. Le’s elegant depictions of nature foreground seeds and fronds, gentling Perkins’s fast-moving, forward-looking chronology. Ages 3–7. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Inspired by scripture, Perkins draws on nature to illuminate the story of Holy Week. . . . Le’s elegant depictions of nature foreground seeds and fronds, gentling Perkins’s fast-moving, forward-looking chronology.”—Publishers Weekly

“Renowned Christian author Mitali Perkins creatively employs Old Testament imagery to relate for children the events of Holy Week and beyond . . . Bare Tree and Little Wind is a children’s picture book worthy of being savored again and again.”—The Banner

“Bare Tree and Little Wind is marvelous. Unlike any Easter book I’ve read, it has a timeless folktale quality. . . . Highly recommended.”—The Redeemed Reader

From the Publisher

03/11/2022
K-Gr 4—Perkins uses nature to tell a story of Christianity's Holy Week and of rebirth. Little Wind has heard the trees speak of Real King (Jesus), who will one day come and cause even the trees to clap. When Real King arrives on Palm Sunday, it is in a quiet and unexpected way, leaving Little Wind to wonder if Quiet Man could be Real King, or if the trees were wrong. Bare Tree explains that this is only Real King's first visit, and that he will come back. Little Wind sees the Crucifixion and hears rustling a few days later that Real King has been seen alive. From this point, the story jumps to the burning of Jerusalem; every green thing is burned, but Bare Tree is spared. It is from Bare Tree that new life springs forth, and Little Wind helps to spread seeds far and near so trees around the world will be ready to clap when Real King returns again. While the time line of the story can be a bit confusing, with years passing between spreads, the ultimate message is one of hope for the future and celebration of good things to come. Some families will enjoy discussing the layers in the text, such as the parallel between Jesus's resurrection and the fact that Bare Tree, who seems to be dead and barren, brings forth new life. VERDICT This unusual telling of a story many know is an additional purchase, especially for Christian schools and families.—Florence Simmons

School Library Journal