The Boy and the Cherry Tree by Mark and Rowan Sommerset

The Boy and the Cherry Tree by Mark and Rowan Sommerset. Pub. Dreamboat Books, 2013.

It is a pleasure to review a picture book where the author and illustrator are working in perfect harmony, each telling the same story yet adding their own dimension.

A boy sees a beautiful cherry tree across a fast flowing cold river. he wants to climb in it’s branches and taste it’s sweet fruit. A concerned bird warns him off and over the years suggests better ways of crossing the river.

After many years and many failures the boy discovers the tree has gone and takes the plunge. He finds the bird was right about the river but he is in for a surprise further down stream.

The text is carefully placed on each page allowing the illustrations to tell their own story. And as is characteristic of Mark’s books the dialogue between boy and bird is snappy and witty.

Rowan Sommerset chooses cherry red, browns creams and whites to draw the boy, the tree and the bird and it works perfectly. She builds  the boy’s plans dreams and frustrations into her illustrations. There is a Japanese style about the illustratons.

A picture book in perfect harmony. A classy book to have in your home and a must for the school library.