Starred Review ALA Booklist

Starred Review It's rare that a book so obviously meant to serve more than one purpose manages the task with such polish. This collaboration speaks with a graceful simplicity that not only firmly fixes the relationship between art and science, but also subtly draws children into the miracles of nature itself. Elegant yet unpretentious oils depict a solitary tree, standing at river's edge and wrapped round by an expansive sky, as it's altered by the cycle of the seasons and the rising and setting of the sun. The tranquil mood of the artwork carries over into the main text, boxed in a background of changing sky, which provides the necessary context for the paintings. Beneath the main text are questions challenging children to explore the feelings the artwork inspires. This is the weakest part of the book, seeming more intended for grown-up facilitators--art and science teachers, Picture Ladies--than children themselves, as is the case with a follow-up section, Connecting Art and Science in Sky Tree Still, this is unquestionably a fascinating, even glorious celebration of nature that will stir both children and adults to a finer appreciation of a wondrous, surprising world that's right within their grasp. (Reviewed June 1 & 15, 1995)

Horn Book

Striking paintings of a tree set against the sky illustrate seasonal changes. Locker uses art to evoke feeling, attempting to connect image and emotion to natural processes. Explanations for what happens to the tree in each season are provided in a section at the end of the book, though the focus is less on scientific explanation than on showing how knowledge of nature can inform an artist's use of color and technique.

Kirkus Reviews

In a series of 14 luminous paintings, the creators of Calico and Tin Horns (1992) watch a single tree through a year of changing seasons, light, and weather. Each spread has the same elements: an exquisite painting of the tree on a hill against the sky on the right page; on the left, the text is centered in rectangles of complementary backgrounds. The main text is consistently well matched to the glorious paintings, affectingly spare, and sometimes poetic. Unfortunately, appearing in smaller, lighter typeface are brief questions, e.g., How does this painting show how water in the air changes the way we see things?'' Rather than enhancing an appreciation of the tree's various aspects, these questions comprise didacticand needlessjustification for the book. The questions (and the paintings, scaled down) are repeated, and then answered, in an appended section,Connecting Art and Science in Sky Tree,'' that links science-related observations for each painting with fascinating information on Locker's techniques. This handsome effort is ideal for sharing. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-9)"

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--In his familiar lyrical style, Locker depicts the same tree throughout the seasons, but with a startling visual effect that will make readers sit up and take notice. After its leaves have dropped, the tree's bare branches are clothed'' in the same shape by being limned against clouds, holes in clouds, different skies, and even a flock of birds. The effect is as lovely as anything the artist has ever done. Each painting faces a brief appreciative caption printed in slightly enlarged type, plus a question designed to elicit responses to what viewers see (and further discussion in an appendix). However, some of the questions are leading (Why does this painting make you feel sad?''), and the prose is less than careful: By the end of the day many leaves began to fall, first one and then another.'' Text and pictures do not always correlate either; despite reference tothe weight of the heavy snow,'' the tree opposite ``Snows [sic] fell'' shows only a dusting. Though appealing in several ways--Locker adds analytical comments about color and composition that are particularly illuminating--the writing here is not up to the standard set by the art.--John Peters, New York Public Library