Rating: 4 stars
The bean bag chairs at the library were available this week, so we were hanging out at the end of the alphabet and came across this book. I recognized the illustrator as David Catrow, who also illustrated the fun I Ain't Gonna Paint No More
(review here) and Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon 
(review coming one day). This is a nice little book about a family who moves in and plans to cut down all the trees to build their new house, but all of them fall in love with one tree, which the littlest kid (who can't say tree) names "Steve." Steve quickly becomes part of their family--he helps them jump rope, holds the underwear proudly when the dryer breaks down, is the background for family pictures, and is the center of all outdoor activity.
Then, sadly, a storm puts an end to Steve.
But the family uses the wood from Steve to build a treehouse in a different tree in the yard, so Steve lives on, and keeps on giving.
This is a cute little book, and one that I really appreciate because our house is surrounded by huge trees. I also am a huge letter writer, and this book is the first children's book that I've come across that is written as a letter. The parents are writing their three children about Steve, and reminiscing about how Steve came into their lives, before telling them of his tragic ending. The kids are staying at their grandparents' house, and their parents want to forewarn them before they arrive home to Steve the Stump.
This is a cute little book, one worth checking out and reading a few times, maybe before planting a Steve of your own!
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