Bibliography-

Barron, T. (2013). Tree girl. Puffin Books.

ISBN 014242708X

 

Plot Summary-

Rowanna's stern caretaker has warned her again and again not to go near the trees that surround their seaside cottage. But Rowanna is drawn to the forest, especially the High Willow on its faraway hill. Are the trees really forest ghouls, as Mellwyn says? Or could they possibly hold the secret to Rowanna's past and the mother she can hardly remember? If only she could get near the High Willow, Rowanna feels certain she would understand. 

 

Critical Analysis-

Although this is not a typical sci-fi/fantasy story, it is still relevant to today’s middle school students. Questions about heritage, belonging, and existence, usually come up around middle school. Some students will be able to relate explicitly to Anna's problem of not knowing her mother, but others will be able to relate more to the feeling of not getting along with parents, or just wanting to know answers to the question "Where am I from?" This story is missing any technology or landmarks that would help indicate the time and setting, which makes the story timeless in a way. I love the unique speech pattern created by the characters. It would make reading this book aloud fun, because you could easily do voices for Anna and Mellwyn. I was slightly disappointed with the ending, after the anticipation built up, it felt lackluster. I was left with many questions after getting only an isolated picture of the world in the book.

 

Review Excerpts-

“Barron is a wonderful storyteller, a maker of myths and fables who creates magical places where characters learn wisdom and power.”—School Library Journal

“Barron portrays characters with subtlety and originality. Readers will respond to underlying themes of self-reliance, rebellion, and the search for self-knowledge.”—Booklist

 

Connections-

-Use this book to teach a lesson on inference because many important events that happen in the story are vaguely explained, which leads students to make inferences, which is sometimes difficult for students. Some examples are, the presence of Master Mellwyn, the night that Anna dances with the tree spirits, and the transformation of Sash.

-Using TA Baron’s website, divide up the discussion questions he created, between groups of students.  https://tabarron.com/books/tree-girl/

 

 

 

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