The Together Tree

(Hardback)

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Description

All Are Welcome meets Be Kind in this poignant and accessible picture book about the power every bystanderno matter how smallhas to extend kindness and stand up in the face of intolerance.

At his new school, quiet Rumi feels small and unwelcome, and a few kids bully him for his brown skin and bright shoes. He finds refuge beneath the old willow tree by the playground and builds his own world of hope and dreams of belonging.

One day, when Rumi is made a target again, one of his classmates bravely steps in to defend him. Its in that moment of solidarity Rumis class finally realizes that under the shade of the willow tree, all are welcome, and they create a space they can all play intogether.

Reviews

A loving and lyrical tale about belonging.Kirkus Reviews

Author Bio

Aisha Saeed is the author ofWritten in the Stars, which was listed as a Best Book of 2015 by Bank Street Books, a 2016 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and named one of the Top Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read in 2016. She is also the author of the middle grade novelAmal Unbound, which has received starred reviews fromPublishers WeeklyandKirkus Reviewsand is a Global Read Aloud for 2018. Her other picture booksincludeBilal Cooks DaalandThe Together Tree. Aisha is a founding member of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books. She has been featured on MTV,HuffPost, NBC, and the BBC, and her writings have appeared in publications including the journalALANand theOrlando Sentinel.

LeUyen Pham has illustrated more than fifty books, including board books, picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Bronze Medal in the Childrens Book category, and Best Books of the Year lists in publications such asKirkusReviews,TheHorn BookMagazine, andComic Book Resources. She is also aNew York Timesbestseller forGrace for President, written by Kelly DiPucchio;Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully, written by Julianne Moore; andPrincess in Black, written by Shannon and Dean Hale. Born in Vietnam, LeUyen came to the United States at the end of the Vietnam War when she was only two. She studied illustration at The Art Center College of Design, and for a short period of time worked at DreamWorks Animation as a layout artist before turning to illustration full time. She lives with her husband (who is also an artist) and two sons in Los Angeles. Visit her online at LeUyenPham.com.