This is the Children’s Bookshelf and I’m Sue Ann Martin.
Treehouse Town written by Gideon Sterer and illustrated by Charlie Mylie is a beautiful picture book where creative children and adorable animals live and play together.
Treehouse Town has nifty places to visit such as Sparrow Square, Circus School, Tulip Train, and Sunset Station.
The happy children ride on elephants, take care of the gardens and cook fabulous meals. The double spread of children gathering fruit, rolling out dough, stirring a big pot of soup, decorating cookies, and frosting a huge cake is delightfully presented in both pictures and words. “In the kitchen we’re a team: boil, bake, sizzle, steam.”
The next spread is equally eye catching as all the children and all the animals sit down together for a feast. “Gather round, it’s time to feast! Food for every hungry beast.” This picture is full of both food and love as monkeys, giraffes, turtles, rabbits, a tiger, an elephant, and an owl join the children, one in a wheel chair, for a dinner full of love.
Treehouse Town is a beautiful and happy picture book for children 4-8 years of age. Both the author, Gideon Sterer and illustrator Charlie Mylie show how working together is important. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) 2024.
The Children’s Bookshelf is a production of WCMU. Links to the podcast and the activity questions can be found at Children’s Bookshelf dot org.
Activity Questions for Treehouse Town
For young children: Every picture in this book is full of life, animals, and fun. Look at the first double spread of Treehouse Town and find the following animals: a brown bear, a zebra, a cat, a monkey, an elephant, a squirrel, a tiger, two rabbits together, one rabbit all alone, an elephant, a lama, a rhinoceros, and a lama.
What other animals would you invite to be part of Treehouse Town? Why?
For older readers: Turn to the picture of the garden and the kitchen. What are the children boiling, baking, sizzling, and steaming? Make a list of what is being made for all to eat. Can you find some of your favorite foods in this list?
What would you like to add? Then, draw a picture of you and a friend eating together.
