A beautifully illustrated tale from a mother to a daughter. I loved it!
Many thanks to Lychee Books and to zNetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

My Thoughts
Mama, tell me a story. Those are words I love to hear, even today, when I know it won’t happen as often with my teens! But they surprise me every once in a while and say those very words – mama, tell us a story. And I am glad I have stories to tell them, stories that they enjoy.

This book is about one such mama telling a story to her daughter. And it is history wrapped in a package of sweetness accompanied by beautiful illustrations that flow across the pages. You learn about the majestic pagoda tree that grows in Edgartown, Masachussets.

As the mother narrates the story, you – along with the little girl,
- learn how the tree made its way from the far East to become one of the oldest and largest pagoda trees today in the United States.
- see how things have changed, about the inventions and discoveries -from the time the tree made its way to the United States to the current times – aptly measured using familiar knowns like crayons, among other things. B.C. to A.C. –> Before Crayons to After Crayons!
- make cool connections between the past and the present, between cultures across continents, between a sea captain who lived and adventured a couple of centuries ago and yourselves
- get a glimpse into trading then – across seas and land

The illustrations add another wonderful dimension to the book with beautiful flowing watercolors and collaged as well as drawn details that beg the reader to pause and take notice. The photograph of the actual tree is a plus as well that brings reality even more to the forefront.

In Summary
A great resource for learning history in a fun way, and to inspire travel – for your reader at home and in the classroom. This book is a history lesson wrapped in a beautifully illustrated package of fiction.

Rating: 4.5/5
Reading Level: 5 – 8 years (and above!)
Reread Level: 4.5/5 (the fun facts and hidden details in the illustrations)

The book inspired me to go learn more about the tree, and it truly is interesting. Someday maybe I will make a trip to that part of the nation, and visit this tree too.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the original digital review copy of the book. These are my honest opinions.