ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

A man lives at the tippy-top of a steep hill where the wind blows so hard that shutters bang, tea spills, and his cowboy hat sails away. Kate finds the hat, and as she figures out why the wind blows so hard, she tries to come up with a solution. Finally, she does e can help the man plant trees that will catch the wind. Together they plant, and by the time both the trees and Kate are taller, the wind thins and the house, and the man, are both surrounded by leafy sentries. Young children may not quite understand the tree-wind connection without some explanation. But they will very much enjoy the lyrical text that is matched by mixed-media tercolors, ink, and digital lustrations that capture both the sweep of a breeze and how it can turn things upside down, as well as the importance of trees. The latter is showcased at the book's end, where the author points out "more about marvelous trees," including how they make a difference in everyday life.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

K-Gr 3 Young Kate helps tame the wind that disrupts the life of a man living atop a steep hill by planting a stand of aspen trees. Delightful cumulative text describes the ever-present wind that bangs shutters, bends boards, spills tea, and even drives the birds away. The rhythm of the lengthening sentences as the number of blown items builds seems to mirror the growing intensity of the wind's force. Finally, the man cries, "What to do?" His cry is heard by little Kate playing at the foot of the hill. Doodling on the sidewalk, she arrives at a solution: trees. Kate loads her wagon with saplings, climbs the hill, and she and the man plant the trees together. As the trees grow along with the girl, they provide some protection from the blowing wind, transforming the man's house at the "tip-top of the green hill" from a "creeky" one to a place where the "dust [now dies] down, the tea steep[s], and the birds peep[s]." The illustrations, executed in watercolor and ink and digitally rendered, depict the wind in swirls of white across the pages. Clothing, shutters, curtains, and even food and kitchen utensils fly in the air. Kate, frowning with hands on hips, appears resourceful and determined. An informative author's note provides information about the importance of trees in our ecosystem as well as websites for ideas about how to protect them. VERDICT The lyrical text begs to be read aloud and is perfect for Arbor Day or Earth Day celebrations. A first purchase for ecology units as well as collections featuring bold girls. Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

When a man-s cry of frustration reaches a girl named Kate, playing hopscotch in the town far below, she knows what to do. The man-s house is buffeted by endless gusts of wind, and Kate understands that planting trees will help. She brings saplings up to his house, where she plants and waters them. The story is truthful about the long wait for results; as the pages turn and the trees grow, Kate becomes a teenager, and the man-s beard goes silver. Scanlon-s story combines timely concern for the environment, the recognition that children can be heroes, and quirky, rhythmic alliteration: -The trees grew till the leaves fluttered and the shutters stilled and the boards bounced back.- The New England setting gives White familiar cultural referents to work with: white clapboard house, porch, rocking chair, and the red wagon Kate uses to trundle the trees up the hill. The excitement of this reassuring readaloud comes from the motion of the wind and the play of words. Ages 4-8. Author-s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator-s agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. (Feb.)

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A young girl plants saplings around a house on a windy hill in this picture book.A white man with a brown beard lives in a pleasant-looking house at the top of a hill, but then the wind begins blowing: the shutters bang, the tea spills, and the boards bend. Finally he cries out, "What to do?" Kate, a brown-haired girl with light-brown skin who lives in the town below, hears his cry and comes up with a solution. Carrying the man's hat, which she has caught as it blew away, and pulling a wagon of saplings, she visits the man, and together they plant the saplings. Kate continues to visit (illustrations show her growing up and his beard graying), while the trees mature into a windbreak. Scanlon's alliterative text builds in a clever, repetitive fashion that begs to be read aloud. White's charming and well-conceived mixed-media illustrations, rendered in a subtle color palette, have the speckled, earthy look of recycled paper (which is Forest Stewardship Council-certified, with some recycled content). The final page, "More About Marvelous Trees," explains the role of and need for trees and suggests accessible ways to help (conserve paper, recycle) and also gives websites for tree-advocacy organizations.The story and illustrations strike just the right notes of lightheartedness, determination, and education—on Earth-friendly materials to boot. (Picture book. 3-7)

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Young Kate figures out a solution to gale-force winds surrounding a man's house: plant trees. Years pass, and the man and Kate, both older, enjoy a picnic on his now-sheltered lawn. White's mixed-media illustrations employ a soft palette, ceding the focus to perpetual motion and commotion. Scanlon's poetic text has enough unpredictability to lend interest and energy. A note about the importance of trees is appended.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A young girl plants saplings around a house on a windy hill in this picture book.A white man with a brown beard lives in a pleasant-looking house at the top of a hill, but then the wind begins blowing: the shutters bang, the tea spills, and the boards bend. Finally he cries out, "What to do?" Kate, a brown-haired girl with light-brown skin who lives in the town below, hears his cry and comes up with a solution. Carrying the man's hat, which she has caught as it blew away, and pulling a wagon of saplings, she visits the man, and together they plant the saplings. Kate continues to visit (illustrations show her growing up and his beard graying), while the trees mature into a windbreak. Scanlon's alliterative text builds in a clever, repetitive fashion that begs to be read aloud. White's charming and well-conceived mixed-media illustrations, rendered in a subtle color palette, have the speckled, earthy look of recycled paper (which is Forest Stewardship Council-certified, with some recycled content). The final page, "More About Marvelous Trees," explains the role of and need for trees and suggests accessible ways to help (conserve paper, recycle) and also gives websites for tree-advocacy organizations.The story and illustrations strike just the right notes of lightheartedness, determination, and education—on Earth-friendly materials to boot. (Picture book. 3-7)