"The next day, Keisha shares a tree with full
branches. She has six brothers. Parents,
grandparents, aunts, uncles. Cousins spill
off the edges.
"It will be your turn
tomorrow, Emmylou,"
Mr. Davis tells me."
Creating a family tree for a school project can lead to anxiety for many children. Emmylou is one of them. As her classmates present their family trees at school, it is abundantly clear to Emmylou that her family tree is unlike many. Her tree has two branches; her Mama and herself.
A question to her mother about her grandmother's name is met with a terse answer. Emmylou stops asking any further question. While it does lead to her mother sharing that two of the recipes she makes are from Emmylou's grandmother, the conversation stops there. Emmylou takes a piece of cake to her neighbor, Mrs. Patel who suggests that family recipes are special. She sends the child home with a jar of mango chutney. As her classmates continue to share their stories, Emmylou remains fully aware that her family is not the same. No father or grandfather to teach her to ride a bike. Mr. Li does that.
"But there are no spots for neighbors on family trees."
An after-school visit with Rosa and her twins is praised by Rosa for all the help Emmylou offers to her children. As the pages turn, readers learn that the community shared by Emmylou and her mother is strong and unwavering. Will that help tomorrow when it's her turn to make her presentation?
Watercolors and digital techniques created by Jasu Hu are gorgeous. They are a perfect match to the text created so lovingly by Bea Birdsong. The use of ginkgo branches throughout adds a lovely connection from one scene to the next. For those children who struggle with a family tree assignment, this team offers a viable and heartfelt alternative. Sensitive and uplifting.
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