Synopses & Reviews
Size matters, but Tree needs convincing. At six feet, three and a half inches, he's the tallest seventh grader in the history of his school, and people expect big things. But he's not good at basketball, he looks much older than he feels, and his parents' divorce is all too new. He copes by helping people like his grandpa, a Vietnam vet who's just had part of a leg amputated, and Sophie, a new girl who's being taunted at school.
Taking things apart helps, too. He learned that from Grandpa. And in the process of seeing how lamps get rewired and laser pens work, in Grandpa's powerful memories of the Vietnam War, in helping an old soldier learn to walk again, in Sophie's insistence that Tree be himself, he begins to heal from the divorce and learns to stand tall. But when a flood threatens his home, Tree's new-found confidence is put to the test.
Newbery Honor-winning author Joan Bauer's story, packed with memorable characters and her trademark humor, is about finding purpose in tough times. And it's about Tree's giant heart, not his giant size, making him a hero.
Review
"[H]eartfelt and humorous....Bauer once again creates a clan of believable characters scrambling to make the best of their particular brand of dysfunction. Her swiftly paced story artfully blends poignant and outright funny moments, resulting in a triumphant tale that will resonate with many young readers." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Bauer is a master at finding inspiration and purpose in everyday life. She writes about serious themes with humor, grace, and wisdom. If the story is unabashedly inspirational, maybe that's something young readers will appreciate these days an eloquent story of ordinary heroes..." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"The depictions of Tree and his colorful family are candid and endearing, and much of the writing is leavened with the author's special brand of humor, albeit bittersweet in this case. The story moves fluidly as the author reminds readers of the small towns that stand tall and of the veterans that fought in a war that not even they understood." School Library Journal
Review
"Bauer...has the knack of making her affection for her characters contagious. She writes funny, convincing dialogue, too, and if the life lessons here are spelled out clearly, that's all to the good. 'Loss helps you reach for gain,' Tree learns, and his story is genuinely heartwarming." KLIATT
Synopsis
Size matters, but six-foot-three seventh grader Tree needs convincing. This story by the Newbery Honor-winning author is packed with memorable characters and her trademark humor about finding purpose in tough times. It's also about Tree's giant heart, not his height.
Synopsis
Tree, a six-foot-three-inch twelve-year-old, copes with his parents' recent divorce and his failure as an athlete by helping his grandfather, a Vietnam vet and recent amputee, and Sophie, a new girl at school.