The Family Tree

Previous collaborators Garton Scanlon and Vernick (Five Minutes) highlight the importance of mindfully slowing down in this grounding account of a tree that sprouts up in the middle of a family’s residence and refocuses their priorities. “It’s all hurry in and hurry out again” for the book’s relatably harried protagonists. When a bit of green appears on the kitchen floor, the group is initially too distracted to pay it much mind (Dad “takes off his glasses, cleans the lenses, and keeps moving”), but as the sprout turns into sapling, young Penny commits to ensuring that the arrival “knows it is loved.” Watercolor patterns and textures give smudgy digital drawings from Lee (Can’t Stop Kissing That Baby) an organic feel, and much of the story’s pleasure lies in humorous depictions of the tree as it grows “a little taller, a little barkier, a little leafier,” filling the house’s nooks and covering the scenes in brightening color. Penny and caregivers readily adapt to their leafy occupant’s needs—moving furniture, modifying the roof, and adjusting to the presence of squirrels and ants. The nature-centered payoff—star-gazing, leaf-peeping, enjoying hobbies in a dreamy new spot, plus a literal and metaphorical sense of rootedness—feels meaningfully perspicacious. The family is portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Authors’ agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Anne Moore Armstrong, Bright Agency. (Sept.)