Regarding the Trees: A Splintered Saga Rooted in Secrets

I found the series that this book belongs in at discount in a store closing. The picture style reminded me of Roald Dahl books when I was younger, of course the pictures were done by Quentin Blake. It was a good deal so I thought why not, they of course had other regarding books there but only picked up 3 of the 5, and boy do a regret that now, I ordered the other 2 books on Amazon right after I read the first book in the series.I read the first one Regarding the Fountain, and I read Regarding the Sink right after. I had Regarding the Bathroom but I wanted to read them in order so I waited for Regarding the Trees. It was definitely worth the wait.This book is about the principle wanting to get rid of a weeping willow tree in the school (not the tree on the cover of the book). The kids have to do a family tree project. One of the students is adopted and Mr. Sam N. suggests to that student to do a history report instead which turns out some interesting information. The principle mentions that he wanted a hall way tree to hang up his coat (that is the tree pictured in the front of the book... flo misunderstood that a hall way tree, is more of a coat rack than an actual tree). Some interesting relationships are revealed in this book between a lot of the characters!This one is a little more interesting than the other ones, this one involves romance and you learn a bit more background of some of the characters. Over all it is a sweet story. This doesn't really have a mystery per say but there is a surprise ending, and I liked learning more about the main characters and their relationships with each other.

First: four stars only because I have not read this myself. I have, however, read "Regarding the Fountain" and "Regarding the Bathrooms." I have given my 7-year-old granddaughter four books from this series, including this one. She is in the second grade but reads at a much higher level, at least in terms of vocabulary and grammar. For content, she is, of course, still 7. These books are great fun: many steps beyond chapter books, but not dealing with subjects that are too burdensome for a child. They are filled with puns that are amusing for any elementary-school child. The swirling imaginative element first introduced by Flo Waters (yes, I know) and spreading to the rest of the characters in a mundane Missouri town is especially enchanting. She enters the life of a middle school, and you can watch the kids blossom. I recommend starting with the first book, "Regarding the Fountain." These schoolchildren are an antidote to the whiny brats found in too many current books for children.

I got this review for my sister's summer reading for school. Once I ordered it, it only took 1 week to recieve. I did the "spend $35 and get free shipping". It definetly helped with the price.

My pre-teen daughter likes this type of writing and thinking. It seems to suite her way of thinking. I just want the children to read as much as possible.

Mr. Russ, the principal of Geyser Creek Middle School, is scheduled for an evaluation, which sets his nerves on edge. Hoping for a positive review so he can keep his job, Mr. Russ decides that the trees scattered across the school grounds desperately need a trimming to look their best. So he calls on Ms. Florence Waters, the multi-talented woman who recently had installed a new fountain for the school. Even though she lives all the way over in California, she feels delighted to help out her old friends again. While they work out the details of the job, a slight misunderstanding leads Ms. Waters to believe that Mr. Russ is proposing marriage, when in fact that's the last thing on his mind!Meanwhile, the new middle school's Italian chef is causing quite a stir in town as well. He and the town's café owner, Angel Fisch, are bashing heads on who is the better cook. Their feud soon spreads to include the entire town, dividing the population down the gender line, boys versus girls. Ms. Fisch suggests the obvious solution of a cooking contest, and everyone agrees --- but then someone steals the favorite recipe from both! Who is the culprit?Meanwhile, some of the students are very upset with Mr. Russ deciding not only to prune the giant willow on the school grounds, but also to remove it entirely. Minnie O. starts up a protest to save all the trees. During her campaign, she learns about an old Geyser Creek club who called themselves The Maids of May, dedicated to saving and planting trees all over the world. Through The Maids of May meeting minutes, Minnie O. discovers some very interesting facts about Geyser Creek and her inhabitants.REGARDING THE TREES is an ingenious story filled with hilarious puns and misunderstandings. The entire book is a collection of newspaper articles, letters, phone messages, faxes, meeting minutes, and a video transcript. Also sprinkled in are tiny Italian lessons and helpful hints on how to plant trees, and how to explore and construct a family tree. The author and illustrator, Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise, have done an awesome job with this unusual series, and fans can look forward to REGARDING THE BATHROOMS: A Privy to the Past. --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, authorClick here now to buy this book from Amazon.com.