The Oak Tree

A thousand years ago an acorn began to grow…. This is the story of an oak tree, which lives through many changes. The land around it is taken over by Normans and Tudors, then Victorians and finally, in modern times it’s toppled by a gale. Over the years, it’s sheltered and fed woodpeckers, wasps, squirrels, birds of many varieties and even a king! It’s grown tall, dropped leaves and acorns, turned hollow, and been a place for children and animals to play. Even lying at rest, it welcomes ants and spiders.

Told in Julia Donaldson’s trademark rich rhyme, this story is engaging and informative. There are facts about oak trees at the end, too. But it’s the rhyming text that pulls you through the life of the tree, which is always shown with children playing around it. The details of both history and tree are pitched perfectly for pre-schoolers, and there are lots of areas for discussion. The illustrations are warm and beautiful and reflect the diversity of human and animal life in and around the tree. A delight.