Genre: This book is a good example of a fairy tale because it has magic and trees having human characteristics. The Tree Maker uses his magic to create beautiful trees and other plants. In turn, these plants began to pick what type of tree they wanted to become, and their brotherhood. This is not possible for a man to use magical powers, and for the trees to have human emotions.

Style: The author did a good job in presenting personification of the trees. The prominent emotion being presented was greed. Many people develop greed in wanting everything for themselves. The author presented this by some trees wanting to have all of the sun rays, so they would be the most powerful. This is seen in many aspects of our world today.

Level: Primary to Intermediate

Summary: This book tells the story of the very first forest and how it was made by a tree maker. After the trees are made and start growing tall, they begin to compete with one another to become the biggest and best tree. After a bad fight and all the trees are in ruins the tree maker comes back to find the trees in awful shape, except for the ones who did not fight. He heals the broken and punishes them by saying every fall and the trees that did not would stay evergreen.

Personal Reaction: I love this book because it shows the difference between greed and selflessness.

Extension Ideas: Students will create their own tree by drawing and we would talk about the difference in the shapes and colors they chose.

We could talk about the difference between selfishness and selflessness and the difference in good and bad behavior and how it effects one another.

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