Publishers Weekly
02/07/2022
Broadly inspired by scripture, Perkins draws on nature to illuminate the story of Holy Week in this wide-ranging picture book. When Little Wind, humanized with a brown-skinned child’s face, blows into Jerusalem, a tall tree reveals that palm fronds will clap without need of the wind’s assistance “when Real King comes,” but Little Wind doubts that will be the case for frondless Bare Tree in Dead Garden nearby. As time passes, Real King does arrive, taking the form of light-brown-skinned Quiet Man, but he suddenly—and without much context for those who don’t know the story—hangs on a cross. Later, bold-hued, chaotic scenes depict the city burning, and Little Wind eventually revisits now-scorched Bare Tree, unexpectedly finding that she’s grown a few golden flowers. Inspired, the pair decide to scatter the blossoms’ seeds “far and wide” so that Bare Tree’s children “can clap around the world” when Real King again returns. Le’s elegant depictions of nature foreground seeds and fronds, gentling Perkins’s fast-moving, forward-looking chronology. Ages 3–7. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Inspired by scripture, Perkins draws on nature to illuminate the story of Holy Week. . . . Le’s elegant depictions of nature foreground seeds and fronds, gentling Perkins’s fast-moving, forward-looking chronology.”—Publishers Weekly
“Renowned Christian author Mitali Perkins creatively employs Old Testament imagery to relate for children the events of Holy Week and beyond . . . Bare Tree and Little Wind is a children’s picture book worthy of being savored again and again.”—The Banner
“Bare Tree and Little Wind is marvelous. Unlike any Easter book I’ve read, it has a timeless folktale quality. . . . Highly recommended.”—The Redeemed Reader
School Library Journal
03/11/2022
K-Gr 4—Perkins uses nature to tell a story of Christianity's Holy Week and of rebirth. Little Wind has heard the trees speak of Real King (Jesus), who will one day come and cause even the trees to clap. When Real King arrives on Palm Sunday, it is in a quiet and unexpected way, leaving Little Wind to wonder if Quiet Man could be Real King, or if the trees were wrong. Bare Tree explains that this is only Real King's first visit, and that he will come back. Little Wind sees the Crucifixion and hears rustling a few days later that Real King has been seen alive. From this point, the story jumps to the burning of Jerusalem; every green thing is burned, but Bare Tree is spared. It is from Bare Tree that new life springs forth, and Little Wind helps to spread seeds far and near so trees around the world will be ready to clap when Real King returns again. While the time line of the story can be a bit confusing, with years passing between spreads, the ultimate message is one of hope for the future and celebration of good things to come. Some families will enjoy discussing the layers in the text, such as the parallel between Jesus's resurrection and the fact that Bare Tree, who seems to be dead and barren, brings forth new life. VERDICT This unusual telling of a story many know is an additional purchase, especially for Christian schools and families.—Florence Simmons
