Me, G and the Locust Tree is a semi-biographical children’s picture book by US author Clay Anderson. With gorgeous illustrations by Elie Nuryanti, the book has a poignant message about the passage of time and growing up, and the importance of appreciating what you’ve got, while you’ve got it.
Unlike the majority of children’s books, Anderson’s debut is told from an adult’s point of view. A father describes how he spent much of his childhood climbing, role-playing and swinging in his beloved maple tree outside the family home. Sadly, the tree later becomes diseased so they have to chop it down, but when he grows up and starts a family of his own, still living in the same house, his son Garrett (G) now derives similar pleasure from another tree – the locust tree that didn’t get any attention from the father when he was a boy.
Then, in a touching and magical scene, the locust tree and the father have a pretty deep conversation that will tap into parents’ fears of times changing, of their kids not staying small and cute forever, but it does so in a philosophical and ultimately reassuring way – by reminding us of the inevitable cycle of life and how, while Garrett will grow out of his love of playing in the tree, he will always have fond memories of it – “And like the maple, I’ll go back to just being a tree, and that’s OK.”
While children are sure to enjoy this story too, I would say that this book is likely to be most dearly loved by parents due to its powerful message. It is a unique and perfectly crafted picture book and we look forward to reading more by this excellent author.
Published by Clay Anderson.
Buy the book here.
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