The Great Kapok Tree

By

Lynne Cherry

Cherry, Lynne. The Great Kapok Tree, illus. by Lynne Cherry. 36 pages. Harcourt Brace & Company, 1990. ISBN 0-15-200520-X

Grade Level: 2nd - 5th.

The Great Kapok Tree is a beautiful picture book. It explains to children in a delightful way the importance of conserving the rain forest. The author has visited the Amazonian rain forest to gather information and drawings for the book. There is an abundance of information in both the text and the incredible illustration. The plot is simple and clear so students in grades as early as kindergarten can understand and appreciate the story. The story revolves around a worker who is cutting down a great kapok tree, the intense heat of the forest and his hard work make him so tired he falls asleep. One by one, the creatures who live in the tree emerge and plead with him not to destroy their world. The colors of the illustration are simply amazing. A great supplement for a rain forest unit or simply a very enjoyable book to read. I also use it for earth day celebration, it’s another way to show children the importance of respecting the habitat of animals and their space.