Gus is a Tree
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Written by Claire Babin
Full color throughout |
About the Book
While his classmates play soccer in the schoolyard, Gus relaxes under a tree. Taking in the autumn air, he closes his eyes, remembering his walks in the forest with his dad. As you may recall from Gus Is A Fish, little Gus is a dreamer, always ready to drift off into his own world.
As he walks along with his dad in dreamtime, Gus loses himself in the beautiful canopy of trees overhead. Suddenly he has become a tree and as he tree he examines branches and barks, leaves and trunks. Night falls and the sky fills with stars, but he is not afraid. The stars give light and he takes comfort in the small woodland animals that shelter in this tree. Within the nighttime quiet, he begins to hear the muffled sound of shouts and laughter. Opening his eyes, he sees his friends gathered around him. Umbrellas are up; it has started to rain. “Gus, Gus,” they are saying. “It’s time to go inside.”
Through a combination of original illustrations and photographs, each page pulls the reader into Gus’s vibrant world. Following the story there are several pages of thumbnail photos that provide many details about the fish and plants that Gus encountered.
Awards and Reviews
Wisconsin Great Lakes Book List 2010-2011
"In addition to the stunning illustrations and lyric narrative, Gus is a Tree has a helpful photo index of forest words that helps further define tree existence. It will capture your readers’ interest and teach effortlessly." – Midwest Book Review
