I received a review copy from the author. No other compensation was received.
One day an orphan named Roy overhears two men talking about a magical tree called the Pabalu tree that can fulfill everyone’s needs.
Roy decides he needs to find this tree and takes off in the middle of the night to find it. He happens upon starving fairies, a sad elf, and fighting dwarves who all join him in his search for the tree — but no one can say the name of the tree correctly. Its called the Pagalu Tree, the Padalu Tree, and the Pawalu tree. Roy gently corrects them each time they mispronounce it and they continue their journey.
From The Pabalu Tree. Image courtesy of Katharine Teisseire.
Finally, they find the tree! It is as joyous as they all have imagined it to be. They make new friends and live happily ever after. It’s a very sweet and gentle story.
The illustrations are extraordinary and have a handmade and substantial authenticity that is imbued with enchantment. All of the characters have huge, mesmerizing eyes that remind you of Margaret Keane’s art but done in colored pencil and with a magical, fairy tale Waldorf-esq style to them. This combination of art and the rhyming narration creates incredible and memorable imagery and a wholly unique story.
The story itself is only good in the purest sense. There are no villains, tension, obstacles, or adversity. The main child is an orphan, but he is still filled with joy. Each character that he encounters has something tragic about them, but that appears to give them the impulse to follow Roy to the Pabalu tree.
Each character mispronouncing the word Pabalu tree brought my kids absolute delight. They both corrected the characters mispronouncing the word and found it fascinating. They enjoyed it being written in rhyme and were both just so thrilled that the book has a happy ending. As important as conflict and resolution is in a book and for children to see — there’s something so comforting about having a beautiful, gentle story to experience together. The Pabalu Tree gives us a few minutes of unadulterated and simple bliss each time we read it.
Also of interest is the story of how The Pabalu Tree came to be. You can read about it here on Freelancer. It’s a great read especially for those interested in self-publishing and looking to find an affordable illustrator story.
Recommended Ages 3 to 5. KTSR. June 2016. 28 pages. ISBN: 979-1096444007 Fiction.
Where to Get it:
- [Affiliate Link]: Amazon.com
- [Library]: Worldcat.org — ask your library to order it.
Author and Illustrator Websites:
More Reviews:
- About Making The Pabalu Tree: Freelancer
- Readers’ Favorite
Where Obtained: I received a review copy from the author. No other compensation was received. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
FTC Disclosures: Some of the links in the post above are Amazon affiliate links and others are IndieBound affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase something, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Which goes to fund my family’s picture book habit. It’s a vicious cycle, but we manage. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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