Written by:
Christina Steiner Illustrated by: Mary Manning
Published by: Outskirts Press Publish Date: October 29, 2012
Age Group:
Elementary
A Lonely Tree and a Special Friend... The desert is a lonely place for Joshua, a tree who has never seen another tree like him. He asks everyone in his environment to help him find a companion...but although the desert loves him, nobody can help. Things change for Joshua one beautiful spring night when a tiny moth comes to visit. This exquisite story about the life-cycle relationship between the Joshua Tree and the Pronuba Moth will delight readers of all ages
Our thoughts of The Sad Tree and Pronuba:
We read this book as a family. It's a beautiful story of science and life.
I will admit it, we did shed some tears when I explained the cycle of life a little further when asked why Pronuba didn't come back. But the relationship between Pronuba and Joshua shows children that although we are different, we can help each other.
Joshua was lonely and there wasn't any other trees around that looked like him. The wind told him that there was another tree that looked like him around the rock but the wind couldn't stay to help him. Pronuba came along, as she was looking for a place to lay her eggs and they work out a deal. This is where the science lesson really gets working. Children don't realize that they are learning about science until they reflect back on the story. The story and lesson draws you in.
I would recommend this to read in a classroom or at home!
"Thank you, moon and stars, for watching over all of us." ~Joshua
5 from Dane, Hunter, and I!
*We did receive
this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Christina Steiner lives in Southern California. She is the mother of two daughters, who loved illustrated children’s books when they were growing up. The Sad Tree and Pronuba was inspired by Christina’s visit to the Mojave Desert, where she became fascinated by the Joshua Tree and the desolate environment in which it flourishes.
