House Held Up By Trees by Ted Kooser- ADVISABLE

Koose, Ted.  House Held Up By Trees.  Illustrated by Joh Klassen. 32 pgs.  Candlewick, 2012.  $16.99. PICTURE BOOK Content: G. This is a tender story about the changes that not only happen to a particular family’s house, but also their individual lives.  When their house was new, the children played in the yard and in the neighboring trees.  These trees blew seeds onto the lawn that their father painstakingly plucked or trimmed daily.  But as the children grew and left, the father was alone and continued his task of caring for the lawn until it became too hard for him.  He also eventually moved away.  Without anyone to kill the newly bursting tiny trees in the lawn, the trees eventually took over and overpowered the house.  In addition to the story being fascinating, the undercurrent of family ties and relationships is also apparent.  We enjoyed the illustrations.  They are unique and remarkable.  Pre-K.  EL (K-3).  ADVISABLE.  Reviewer: SL.