The Family Tree
by Liz Garton Scanlon and Audrey Vernick; illus. by Fiona Lee
Primary    Beach Lane/Simon    48 pp.
9/25    9781665948371    $19.99

A tree starts out as a small green leafy growth peeking through the floorboards of young Penny’s kitchen. With nurturing from the family and dog Bo-Belly, it eventually grows through the roof while its roots travel down into the basement and outside into the soil. Before the sprout emerged, Penny’s family was always racing from one activity to another (“It’s all hurry in and hurry out again”), but the tree makes everyone pause and begin to take their time. Mom plays banjo, Dad does a puzzle, and Penny reads a book while leaning against its trunk. By the end: “The family has grown some roots of its own. They are more in and less out. And way less hurried.” Scanlon and Vernick’s appealing, straightforward text celebrates the power of nature as the whole family becomes more grounded and joyful. Lee’s illustrations, a mix of “watercolor patterns, textures, and digital drawings,” reflect all the new activities. The final pages show the tree in a blaze of autumn color, spreading out into the front lawn and beyond. A reminder to slow down and appreciate both nature and life.

From the November/December 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.