This heart warming story tells of Katie and her family as they endeavor to spread a little "green" around their praire town. Speaks to the wonder and beauty of nature....plus offers a background on the holiday and its inception. ( )

Katie and her Papa, newly arrived in their windswept prairie town, eagerly participate in the planning of the new town square, and in the drive to raise money for trees - fifteen of them, imported from the east - to make their new home more beautiful. When the precious cargo finally arrives, there is much celebration, as well as work, as the townspeople plant the saplings - including one special dogwood, in honor of Katie's deceased mother - enjoy an evening picnic, and promise to meet again for the same purpose, the following year...

A fictional account of the beginning of Arbor Day - begun in real life by journalist J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City, Nebraska, in 1872, it has since become a national holiday, and spread to many countries around the world - Arbor Day Square is an engaging "slice of life" tale, set in a new-formed prairie town, and emphasizing the importance of Arbor Day, as a communal and familial celebration. The father-daughter bond between Katie and her father was touching, and the final fast-forward - in which Katie has a daughter of her own - very satisfying. The watercolor and pencil illustrations by Cyd Moore - who also worked on Steven J. Simmons' books about two witches named Alice and Greta - were very appealing, colorful without being overdone. All in all, a solidly pleasing book about a holiday that seems to have been somewhat overlooked, in the world of children's books. ( )

story of planting trees in a burgeoning prairie town. ( )