Read, Write, Repeat.

Numbers and nature are all rolled up into one enjoyable picture book in This Tree Counts (Albert Whitman, 2010).

Author Alison Formento and illustrator Sarah Snow combine their talents to tell the tale of the lone oak tree behind an elementary school.

A class decides the tree needs friends, so it plants 10 new oak trees nearby. But first, the students listen to the story the old oak has to tell and learn something about the 10 animals that live in the tree and what they do.

This book is also cool because it is printed on recycled paper and a portion of the proceeds go to planting more trees through AmericanForests.org.

Here’s what today’s guest reviewer, Julia, has to say:

Our reviewer: Julia

Age: 6

This book was about: A tree that told a story about counting, bugs and animals.

The best part was: The first page and how you can use your finger like a car and drive down the streets.

I laughed when: I saw the tree house and it didn’t have anything holding it in the tree. Because it kinda looked like it was flying and tree houses aren’t supposed to fly.

I was worried: That the spiders would kill the tree. They can sometimes kill trees. My cousin Payton told me that once.  

I was surprised that: That the boy was building a house. Because I didn’t really think that houses were made of wood. I thought they were made of walls.

This book taught me: That sometimes trees can talk. No, no, no. Trees can do lots of good things like clean the air, give nice shade and have good climbing spots.

Other kids reading this book should: They should learn that this book is a good one and that trees are really helpful.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Great.” “Awesome.” “Exciting.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: I have three sentences that I like. The ones where it’s like … “Four robins tweet out hello,” “Three squirrels hop on my branches playing hide and seek,” and “One owl waits on a branch until it’s night.” (If you look at the top photo, Julia is holding the book open to her absolute favorite page.)

You should read this because: Because it’s fun. Because the counting part is kinda fun.

Thanks, Julia!

You can learn more about Alison Formento by visiting her website. It features a tree of the day. Alison also has a blog where she talks about books, trees and more.

You can learn more about Sarah Snow by visiting her website.

Arbor Day is a holiday that flies under the radar.

There aren’t racks of Arbor Day greeting cards in the stores. Businesses don’t close.

In fact, most people go about their daily business without a second thought. Even people who are familiar with the holiday may just know it has something to do with trees.

That’s part of the reason Kathryn O. Galbraith wrote Arbor Day Square (Peachtree, 2010).

The book, which was provided by the publisher for this review, is a fictionalized account of what the first Arbor Day in Nebraska in 1872 might have been like.

Katie and her father, who move West for land, help build a town out of nothing on the prairie and then decide the town needs trees. They plant one in memory of Katie’s mom and watch it grow along with the town.

Here’s what Ellie had to say:

Reviewer: Ellie

Age: 7

I like: Irish dance, soccer, drawing, playing with my friends and candy. 

This book was about: People traveling to a new land. They were building  their new town and they thought they were missing something – trees. So they planted some little trees and celebrated.

The best part was when: The little girl planted a tree for her mom. 

I was worried when: I thought the trees weren’t going to grow. 

I was surprised that: The trees grew after a while.

This book taught me: How Arbor Day started.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: When the little girl named Katie grows up and has a baby named Megan Anne.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Trees,” “children” and “holiday.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “Papa and Katie spread their blanket next to Mama’s tree.”

You should read this book because: It teaches you about Arbor Day.

Thanks, Ellie!

Along with the warm-hearted story, the book has a page of facts about how Arbor Day started in Nebraska and spread throughout the United States with a shout-out to founder J. Sterling Morton.

You can learn more about author Kathryn O. Galbraith by visiting her Web site.

You can learn more about illustrator Cyd Moore by visiting her Web site.

If you’re interested in seeing more cool books about trees, see Paul’s review of The Busy Tree and Jaiden’s review of A Tree for Emmy.

And you can learn more about Arbor Day — including the exact day it’s held in your state — by visiting The National Arbor Day Foundation.

Arbor Day is April 30, so Read, Write, Repeat will look at several books about trees during the next four weeks.

First up is The Busy Tree (Marshall Cavendish, 2009) by Jennifer Ward. It’s a rhyming picture book that looks at all the life that’s found in a tree above and below ground. Vivid oil illustrations by Lisa Falkenstern bring the animals and insects to life.

So, as the book begins, “I’m a tree, a busy tree … Come and see.”

Today’s reviewer: Paul

Age: 7

I like: To dance, eat pepperoni pizza and hula hoop.

This book was about: A tree that has lots of stuff happening on it. It’s a strong tree.There are acorns, chipmunks, ants, a spider, an owls, squirrels and a nest of birds. There’s also a cocoon, moths, ladybugs and kids.

Trees are cool because: They are fun to climb. You have to find the right branch to start with and not go up so high that the branches get too little. You can see new stuff from up in a tree.

The best part was when: I saw the spider making its web. I like spiders.

This book taught me: That you need rain to help trees go. I’ve seen all the things in a tree that the book shows, but I’ve never seen an owl.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: They should watch for stuff they can learn, like all the things that are in a tree.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Busy.” “Tree.” “Birds.”

My favorite phrase in the book is: “Look at my acorns, shiny and round, nibbled by chipmunks who scratch at the ground.”

You should read this book because: There’s some really neat and cool stuff in it.

To learn more about Jennifer and the other nature-inspired books she’s written, visit her Web site. To see other illustrations by Lisa, visit her Web site. And stay tuned for more tree-related book reviews.

If you’ve got a favorite book about trees, list it in the comments section below.

Today’s reviewer: Jaiden, 5.  (Jaiden also answers to “Princess Reads-a-Lot.”)

Jaiden likes: Playing with friends and eating mac-and-cheese and cake.

The book: A Tree for Emmy (Peachtree, 2009). Written by Mary Ann Rodman. Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss.

What happens: Emmy wanted a tree and she found a small tree and she didn’t want it, but then she did.

The best part was when: She found a baby mimosa.

I laughed when: Her Gramma called her stubborn and strong and a little bit wild.

I was worried when: She cried on her bed.

I was sad when: She couldn’t find a mimosa.

I was surprised that: She got a mimosa tree.

This book taught me: You should be stubborn and wild and a little bit crazy.

This book also taught me: Even if it isn’t what you want, it is going to be what you want if you have patience.

Other kids reading this book should: Look at the sweater she’s wearing in the fall.

Three words that best describe this book are: Stubborn, strong and wild.

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: When Emmy sings, “My tree, my tree, my beautiful tree!”

You should read this because: It’s funny.

Thanks for joining Read, Write, Repeat, Jaiden!

Want to know more? See what Peachtree has to say about this picture book on its Web site.

If you’d like to read this book, visit your local library or bookstore. If you’ve already read it, tell us what you think!

Check back often for more kid book reviews.