Treehouse Rescue by Veronica Puig

A loving story about a young boy looking out for creatures in need

It’s going to rain. The storm is brewing. But Mike badly wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Only problem is, his younger brother made a tower out of them on the coffee table, and there’s no peanut butter left.

Instead of starting a sibling feud, big brother Mike accepts his mother’s invitation to take some money and grab peanut butter from the store. Along the way, however, as the clouds begin to take over the sky, he sees a happy caterpillar couple, singing and dancing to celebrate their 15-year anniversary. While he’s happy for them, he’s concerned about them too. They don’t even know about the storm.

Rather than leaving them to fend for themselves, he takes them to his treehouse for safety. Along the way, a bluebird nest falls out of the sky and he catches it. A colony of ants beneath his feet is building leaf houses to prepare for the storm. But he can’t let them risk it. Any of them.

He takes everyone to treehouse, sandwiches now the last on his priority list. When more animals show up seeking help, he welcomes them with open arms. And lucky for him, the kangaroo has something special for him in his backpack.

Treehouse Rescue is a sweet story with a good lesson, when you look out for others, others will look out for you. It’s a story about community, about giving, about our responsibilities as humans. Parents will be glad to impart the kind and caring wisdom that runs through this book.

The illustrations are as sweet as the story, too. Some might have an awkward angle or two, especially in the arms, but overall, each page is a pleasure to look at and your little one will agree. Especially when that raccoon in a purple shirt and that turtle with the cowboy hat come in. These animal critters will be big hits for your kid who loves all things animal.

Some of the language in the book veers toward the stilted, occasionally depending on misfitting synonyms rather than natural speech: “Clamorous music… becomes something of his intrigue;” “his wonder galvanized…” Your little ones will still have no problem following the story and may even be introduced to some new vocabulary words they’re excited to flaunt, but these words arise too unnaturally to make the read-aloud experience completely free of stumbles.

Overall, Treehouse Rescue will be a welcome addition to your kids’ bookshelf. It’s got a great lesson and even greater critter characters.

The post Treehouse Rescue by Veronica Puig appeared first on Independent Book Review.