Review Detail

5.0 1

The Together Tree

Kids Fiction 699

Modeling Positive Behavior in School

August 08, 2023 (Updated: July 10, 2026)

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

When Rumi moves to a new school, he is sad about the move and keeps to himself. He is somehow different from the other children, who seem willing to befriend him, but spends his time during recess apart from the group. When a Asher makes fun of him, Ella laughs, but Han looks on in unease. Because the children don't really know Rumi, they aren't quite sure how to stick up for him when Asher continues his bullying. When Asher throws a pebble at Rumi and hurts him, the children see the injustice and are finally pushed out of their complacent acceptance of Asher's actions. Han checks on the new boy and invites him to play with him. The other children see that Rumi was drawing beautiful pictures, similar to the ones on his shoes that were an object of ridicule, and the children start to draw with Rumi. The class is getting along better, but Rumi sees that Asher is now setting himself apart. Knowing how this feels, Rumi suggests to his classmates that they go play inside so that Asher doesn't feel excluded.

Good Points

There is an author's note stating that the author's son had a somewhat similar experience, and that she thought a book modeling positive behavior might help children learn how to treat each other better. This is a great idea; I think as adults we frequently forget that this sort of behavior needs to be taught; not all children pick it up naturally.

The real draw here are Pham's illustrations; even though Rumi is shown looking very dejected, with a cloud of drawings lingering around him, there is something about Pham's illustrations that always look joyous, even with dark backgrounds and sad topics. She is also great at drawing characters from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and the chalk-like drawings surrounding Rumi add an extra layer of interest to the pages.

Books about being kind to each other should be included in frequent rotation in every child's list of books, and this one is a great one to add to Barton's The Invisible Boy, McAnulty's A Small Kindness, and Amy Wu and Zhang's Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome.