Who Will Rule the Trees?

PreS-Gr 2–Kimmel creates a new folktale with a Genesis-like start: “In the days after creating the world, God asked the creatures of the earth to choose their leaders./ Leviathan, the giant whale, became ruler of the fish./ Behemoth, the great hippopotamus, became ruler of the land animals./ Ziz, the giant bird, became ruler of all winged creatures.” The trees wish to choose their own leader, but there is dissent. The oak puts forth its claim, noting that it withstands thunder and lightning. The pine can see for miles. The fig offers sweets. It’s the olive tree who wins the debate for its harvest can be turned into oil, which makes light. Watercolor-like illustrations are like unbound stained glass, flowing across the pages as the argument unfolds. The storytelling itself is also flowing; for a short story, this uses flowery language when the point is made simply and quickly. It’s an idea with faintly biblical tones, but it’s not mighty enough to sustain children beyond one telling.