This Tree Counts!

By Alison Formento and Sarah Snow

Honor Book - 2011 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
2013 Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee
The Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, Youth Picture Book, 2011

Counting and nature combine in this tree-rific tale.

If you listen closely, the lone tree behind Oak Lane School has a story to tell. It starts with one owl, two spiders, and goes all the way up to ten earthworms using the tree as their home! So what does this tree need? Learn about the importance of trees and count from one to ten in this tale about going green.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release date: Feb 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9780807593219

Alison Formento

Alison Formento grew up in Arkansas and now lives in New Jersey with her family. She's climbed trees, camped under them, and planted some! Alison is also the author of These Bees Count! and These Rocks Count!

Book preview

Reviews for This Tree Counts!

[mhilary-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great book about counting. It uses all of the creatures of the ecosystem of an oak tree as the things to count. In addtion to counting this book could lead into a much larger discussion about the lives tree sustain.

[azlanshae · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great counting book. Their is a school class planting trees with their teacher. Their teacher encourages them to listen to the giant tree's story. The giant tree shares what animals live in his branches. The story starts with one owl and ends with ten earthworms. After listening to the tree's counting the class talks about different trees and their uses and then what products they own made from wood.

[sweetiegherkin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An elementary school class decides to make friends for the lonely oak tree behind their school by planting more trees. Before they do so, their teacher encourages them to talk and learn about different kinds of trees, what functions trees serve in nature, and what can be made from the wood that comes from a cut tree.This Tree Counts is a title with a double meaning because the students learn about why the tree matters (aka counts) but they also "listen" to the tree and hear a litany of the animals and insects that benefit from the tree in numerical order (one owl, two spiders, etc.). In this way, the book functions as a helpful teaching tool for both science and math curricula. But it also means that the book may have bit off a more than it could chew, and it suffers a little from not having a core base and linear trajectory. Still, it's a fine enough book for young readers, and it kept my 3-year-old nephew engrossed when I read it to him. The collage-based illustrations appropriately convey the story through their bright and bold colors. They also clearly portray a diverse group of students, which is a plus for parents or teachers looking for books with multiracial characters.

[carolynebegin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is about a large oak tree and a class that plants some smaller trees to keep it company. Along the way the class learns about animals that use the tree, the way we use them, and their importance in the environment. The children learn to "listen" to the tree and realize its value.I think this book had some great lessons and a good story but tried to fit too much into one book. The lesson would have been more effective as a counting book OR an environmental book. The counting part shows some fun animals and how they use the tree which is great for small kids but gets confusing when combined with the environmental aspect and poetry. The second part show the importance of trees for the environment (cleaning the air for example) and for us by showing some of the ways that we use them (building materials). It also describes very briefly some different kids of trees that are familiar to children (palm trees, Christmas trees, etc). At the end the class plant some new trees to keep the bigger and older tree company and learn a valuable lesson.I liked the collage style artwork and the dominance of the color green. I think the images would appeal to children.

[dangerlibearian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book about the importance of trees, maybe a little long. Should read first. Trees talk and tell stories about all the animals and activities that take place in the tree. Also all the great things trees/wood is good for. Trees count because it is a counting book and trees count because they are important.

[steuba01 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A class goes outside to look at trees. Mr. Tate’s class decided to plan some trees. Before they planted their trees, Mr. Tate said all the trees have a story to tell. All the students stopped to listen with their ears against the tree. They then began to count one through ten about the different animals around and on the tree. One is an owl, two spiders, three squirrels, four robins, and five caterpillars. Along with six ants marching, seven crickets, eight flies buzzing, nine ladybugs, and ten earthworms.Mr. Tate asks what the students heard and Jake responds that the tree counts. They talk about what else is great about trees. Trees make good shade and clean the air. The students learn that trees have names and that trees make different things like houses, pencils, and picnic tables. The students then plant their trees.