The Great Treehouse War

by Lisa Graff

Kids vs. parents! An epic treehouse sleepover! An awesome group of friends! An exciting new book from National Book Award finalist Lisa Graff.

Winnie's last day of fourth grade ended with a pretty life-changing surprise. That was the day Winnie’s parents got divorced and decided that Winnie would live three days a week with each of them and spend Wednesdays by herself in a treehouse between their houses, to divide her time perfectly evenly. It was the day Winnie’s seed of frustration with her parents was planted, a seed that grew until it felt like it was as big as a tree itself.

By the end of fifth grade, Winnie decides that the only way to change things is to barricade herself in her treehouse until her parents come to their senses—and her friends decide to join. It’s kids vs. grown-ups, and no one wants to back down first. But with ten kids in one treehouse, all with their own demands, things get pretty complicated! Even if they are having the most epic slumber party ever.

In the newest novel by beloved National Book Award finalist Lisa Graff, kids turn the tables on their parents, and all the rules are tossed out the window. But does Winnie have what it takes to hold her ground and keep everyone happy?

This story, with a pitch-perfect middle grade voice and a zany yet poignant situation, is perfect for fans of Sharon Creech, Louis Sachar, and Jack Gantos.

Praise for Lisa Graff's

The Great Treehouse War

"It’s kids vs. parents in epic fashion...Graff’s whimsical, original work is a breath of fresh air."— School Library Journal

"Combining over-the-top storytelling with down-home wisdom, this [is] fun."— Booklist

"[Graff creates] a vibrant patchwork of personalities that gives voice to the power of friendship."— Publishers Weekly

"A good-natured satire of helicopter parenting and a celebration of child ingenuity."— Horn Book

Lost in the Sun

*  "Graff writes with stunning insight...consistently demonstrat[ing] why character-driven novels can live from generation to generation."— Kirkus Reviews , starred review

*  "Weighty matters deftly handled with humor and grace."— School Library Journal , starred review

"This [novel] speaks powerfully, honestly, almost shockingly about our human pain and...redemption. This book will change you."—Gary Schmidt,  The Wednesday Wars

"Graff crafts a compelling story about a boy touched with tragedy....And like all the best stories, it ends at a new beginning."—Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder

Absolutely Almost

* "A perfect book to share with struggling readers."— Booklist , starred review

* "Achingly superb."— Kirkus Reviews , starred review

* "Graff’s...gentle story invokes evergreen themes of coming to appreciate one’s strengths (and weaknesses), and stands out for its thoughtful, moving portrait of a boy who learns to keep moving forward."— Publishers Weekly , starred review

"The patrons of my school library have been asking, 'Do you have any books like  Wonder  by R.J. Palacio?' and now I have the perfect offering."— BookPage

A Tangle of Knots

“A beautiful world of deliciously interconnected stories.”— Entertainment Weekly , A-

*  “Subtle and intricate, rich with humor and insight, this quietly magical adventure delights.”— Kirkus Reviews , starred review

*  “Combining the literary sensibility of E. B. White with the insouciance of Louis Sachar, [this] should satisfy readers for years to come.”— Booklist , starred review

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Humor, Family, Childrens, Divorce

304 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2017

About the author

Lisa Graff is the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of the National Book Award nominee A Tangle of Knots, as well as Lost in the Sun, Absolutely Almost, Double Dog Dare, Umbrella Summer, The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower, The Thing About Georgie and Sophie Simon Solves Them All. Originally from California, she lived for many years in New York City and now makes her home just outside of Philadelphia.

Reviews

[Stephanie (Reading is Better With Cupcakes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first, let me just say that The Great Treehouse War was a lot of fun to read. I started reading it and before I knew it I was near the ending. Despite being way over the intended age group for this book, I still found myself able to read and appreciate it a lot.

The Great Treehouse War is about a young girl named Winnie. Winnie is your normal 10ish year old girl (she is in the fifth grade). She has friends, likes art, and has the worlds most amazing cat. She also has parents that decided that they were better off no longer married to each other.

When Winnie's parents decided to divorce, they split everything up so it would be equal for both of them. One parent had Winnie 3 days of the week and the other had her for the other 3 days. This only equals up to 6 days, however, they couldn't let one parent have 4 days and the other only get 3, so they came up with a plan. Between the two properties (they had found a place that they could live there was a treehouse. So for that odd day of the week, which happened to be Wednesdays, Winnie would be in the treehouse, not with either parent.

That way everything would remain totally equal and fair.

Of course, that was too hard for the parents. They started celebrated all the crazy holidays that happen. They each kept trying to one up the other. This was causing Winnie to fail the fifth grade. But neither parent was listening. As long as everything was fair that was all that mattered.

A lot of things went on that ended up with Winnie in the treehouse with her friends...and the great treehouse war began.

See? It really is quite the book!

Throughout the book there are tons of illustrations and little side notes from her classmates about the things that happened in the story. Each kid has their own little quirk, and the quirks pop up over and over again. It lightens up the seriousness of the book and makes it a lot more fun to read. At first I thought they took away a little bit from the story, but once I got used to them I enjoyed them.

Also, as you can tell, there is a serious note to this book. I am an adult, not a kid in the age range that this book is intended for....so to me it was quite obvious. The way the parents were behaving was really affecting Winnie. How this translates to a kid with the way this story was written? I am not 100% sure. Maybe they will relate to Winnie, maybe they wont. I can't tell you. Did I think it was fun? Yes. Do I think Winnie should have had to go to such an extreme measure to try to get her parents to listen to her? No. But this story wasn't meant for me - the adult. It was meant for the kids.

And I will definitely let a kid read this book. I think they will enjoy it and I hope that if they find themselves in a similar situation, that they will find a character that they can relate to. And that they can find some help from this book on how to speak up and be heard if they need to be.

This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.

Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Great Treehouse War appeals to every kid's desire to have their voices heard and to be able to make their own decisions. Even as an adult, I can remember feeling this way when I was younger and wishing that I would hurry up and grow already.

And who wouldn't love to have a treehouse like Winnie's? Especially one with a zipline to your favorite uncle's house! Needless to say, I enjoyed this fun and whimsical story, and I thought the overall message was a positive one for children and adults alike. This is already a favorite of my 4th & 5th grade Mock Newbery book club members!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stupid. No part of the situation was plausible, none of the characters felt real or were more than cardboard icons. Bonus star for diverse races and family situations, and for the concept, I guess. I might have liked it a little bit when I was a kid but I never would have felt any heart for it.

I hope Umbrella Summer isn't Graff's only good book... I do want to try others by her.

Btw, heavily illustrated in a style that reminds me a lot of Lois Lenski.

[Libby May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woohoo!

Ok, so I have to say I didn't appreciate the fact that the kids were so disobedient and so disrespectful, and the way parents were portrayed as dump, stupid adults. That's not what we want kids reading and learning.

The plot was actually rather enjoyable. I didn't love the unfinished part, where none of the kids got what they asked for and none of them got punished for what they did. It was really frayed at the end.

As for Winnie, it was interesting to see what she saw when she used her "Artist Vision." Something I should probably do more. :D

The characters were all unique and fun. I liked the way they all had their own quirks and funny things. Lyle, come on, a teeth collection? I mean really! XD

And the design of the book itself was really fun. The stick notes that each kid used to comment. It was really well done.

All in all, I liked reading it, but I'm not putting it on my bookshelf. It's not the wholesome type that I would want my kids to read.

[gabby ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

this book was such a cute nostalgia read from my childhood! i love winnie and the treehouse ten.

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's a pretty good book! I like how they stay in a treehouse and won't come down till they get the stuff they demand, but one by one they all come down even without their demands that they wanted. Winnie(the main character) stays up there until her parents (they are divorced) come up to the treehouse to talk to her together. Such a good book!!!!!

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm tagging this cats because Winnie's Buttons is truly "the world's greatest cat." I'm tagging this coming-of-age because it is a rare middle grade (not middle school) book that explores the end-of-5th-grade-going-to-middle-school phase, rather than being about 12 year-olds who already are in middle school. I'm tagging this empathy because that is Winnie's super power (she calls it artist's vision) and what helps her to solve the problem that the epic sleepover turns into. I'm tagging this hybrid because there are fun sketches, maps, and sticky note comments from Winnie's friends. I'm tagging this memoir because that's what the character is writing.

[Kelly Hager]

I love Lisa Graff's books. They're so fun and generally really sweet, but there's also an undercurrent of real emotion.

It sounds pretty fun to have parents who are literally competing over who can show you the best time, right? But it's not as great as you'd think; Winnie's parents have spent so much time trying to curate the best experiences for their time with Winnie that they forget to do things like make sure she's having a good time. (Or that she's doing her homework, which she isn't.)

Similarly, you may think that it would be a great time hanging out with your friends constantly. And at first, you'd be right. But then a treehouse starts to feel cramped and a lot less fun than before.

I love Lisa Graff's books so much and this is an excellent one to start with if you haven't read her before. It's also a great gift for any middlegrade fans in your life.

Highly recommended.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winnie's parents have recently gotten divorced. They agreed to spend exactly the same amount of time with her each week, leaving her living in a treehouse on Wednsdays. In an effort to try to be Winnie's favorite parent, they go overboard, overscheduling celebrations for every minor holiday. When Winne is threatened with failing, she takes matters into her own hands and moves permanently into the treehouse. Her friends decide that they too want to have some say in their lives and move in with her. The 10 make the news as the Treehouse Ten. Will their efforts pay off?

This was a cute, quick read. Loved the additions of the editor marks and post-it notes.

NC EBOB selection 2022-2023

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a very fun, quick read that I definitely recommend! My sister was the one who encouraged me to read it in the first place and I really enjoyed it.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great - especially loved the side-chatter with the post-it notes.

* Reading Olympics Spring 2023

[modezireads · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really don't know how i feel about this book

[Tim The Enchanter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serious topics wrapped in a compelling story - 4 stars

I started reading this out loud to my Cub Scouts at a recent camp. The book managed to keep 15 boys ages 8-10, quiet at bedtime. The story deals with topics to which most children can relate. Things such as wanting to be heard, managing friendships and trying to understand a confusing world. The reason I chose to read it to my scouts was that it dealt with topics that some may not have been exposed to such as divorce and adult conflict.

I was only able to read about half the novel to my scouts. I found the story compelling enough that I wanted to finish it. My 8 year old son and I finished it together and we were both very happy with the story and its resolution. I believe that children should be introduced to difficult topics. This story does just that without leaving the reading feeling depressed by the end. I recommend this book.

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of things you should probably know to understand why a bunch of kids decided to climb up a treehouse and not come down.
- First Line

Imagine a never-ending sleepover in a treehouse with 9 of your best friends. Just so you know, the treehouse has a bathroom (but no stove), two floors, a craft station, a platform for deliveries, a skylight, and a zipline. The thing is, the kids are staying in the treehouse and refusing to come down until their parents give in to their demands. While a treehouse sleepover sounds amazing (and who wants sleepovers to end), 10 kids in close quarters can become stressful for even the best of friends.

Winnie originally stays in the treehouse every Wednesday - so her divorcing parents can have equal numbers of days with her. When Winnie realizes she is failing 5th grade and the only time she gets any homework done is Wednesdays in the treehouse, she decides to stay there permanently. But, will her parents ever see reason and stop fighting over everything being exactly equal??

The plot touches on issues like divorce, screen time, tv privileges, and other difficulties between parents and children. It's an engaging story with realistic characters who love and support each other through everything. The format is a group memoir (written by Winnie) and there are cute illustrations and post-its from the other characters throughout the book.


Kids will love the idea of living in a treehouse with their friends and not having to answer to parents. (There is a plot point that prevents the parents or police from entering the treehouse which verges on ridiculous, but the kids won't mind.)

Recommended to: Grades 3 - 8, fans of realistic fiction, and reluctant readers. Fans of James Patterson's Middle School series will enjoy this one. :)

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I quit halfway through reading this book the first time, but my students decided they wanted it included on our book club list so I pushed through to the end. I did not like the way the way people treated each other in this book. All of the relationships (parent/parent, parent/child, child/child) showed a general lack of respect. Each child outside of the main character was narrowed down to one specific stereotype, instead of being well-rounded. My students who read it gave it 2 or 3 stars, but I would not recommend it based mostly on the way everyone speaks to each other.

[Amy-Jo Conant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this one. I love the concept but there were some parts of the delivery that were a real miss. I'm trying to read my notes that I scrawl as I pull into my school parking lot after listening to the audiobooks on my commute.

Looking at the cover students may think it's more juvenile than it is. I think this is targeted to 4th and 5th graders as well as some 6th (6th might be stretching a bit far though).

Overall there were many parts of this book that were just sad. I'm not sure that was the intention because they came off a bit as if they were meant to be funny (all the holiday celebrations) but I was slightly uncomfortable. I even wrote that I felt yucky listening to the back and forth that comes with this poor divorce.

I'm listening and thinking to myself this poor girl is being pulled between these parents that are acting like children. The vehemence that is shared towards one another and the preposterousness of their "equal" sharing is almost unbearable. I'm sure that the crazy celebration/holiday is to highlight their infantileness. Unfortunately, this bad behavior is probably very commonplace in divorces which is part of what was making me so sad.

So on to a happier note. I LOVE the basic idea... a young girl gets to live on her own in a treehouse. So fun, every kid's dream. Also interesting is the reoccurring theme of artistic vision, to look with different eyes. It's fun and fast paced with plenty of plot to keep the reader happy and engaged. I think it does have a wide audience appeal and could make a great read aloud.

The adults in general act like children. Even in the end they attempt to get along but are still pretty juvenile. I'm not sure they've learned any great lessons. I suppose it can make for good talking points for students about conflict resolution and compromise (being a reasonable human?)

Diverse cast?
At least one character has 2 moms. It's not highlighted, it's just part of the story, the way it should be.

[Marathon County Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Winnie’s parents weren't acting so obsessively strange, and so hung up on spending exactly the same amount of time with her, the great treehouse war, as it was being called by the media, probably would not have happened. When Winnie Malladi-Maradi’s parents divorce and decide to share time with her equally, they also decide that since there are uneven days in the week she will spend Wednesday’s by herself in the treehouse located between both their houses. With both parents trying to outdo each other by finding obscure holidays to celebrate with her, Winnie doesn't even have time to do her homework, and it looks like she might flunk fifth grade. She finally gives her parents an ultimatum: she will not come down from the treehouse until her parents talk to her together. When Winnie's friends find out about it, they want in on the action since they too have problems with their parents, and so the great treehouse war begins. I love Lisa Graff’s books and this one is no exception. This enjoyable tween novel is interspersed with instructions for making things like friendship bracelets and even how to make a stuffed lizard out of toe socks, as well as post-it-notes with comments on Winnie's narrations by her friends. This fun book was highly recommended to me by a young boy in the library and I highly recommend it to you as well.

Sharyn H. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

[Bettendorf Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Great Treehouse War" by Lisa Graff is a very charming book. Ten year old Winnie's parents divorce and come up with increasingly convoluted and strange excuses for holidays in a mad game of one-uping each other to see who is the better parent for their increasingly despondent daughter. These constant invented holidays drag on Winnie's time and happiness to the point where she's going to fail fifth grade and she's miserable all the time. With the help of her friends, her loyal cat, her large treehouse exactly in the middle of her two parents' respective back yards, and an obscure document about what used to reside on the spot where her treehouse now stands, she devises a plan to get her parents to see reason.
While the book is about divorce, parents fighting over their child's time, and the harm that can do to the child; the book itself is very whimsical in nature and clever in its construction. The book is written as if Winnie and her friends wrote it as a rough draft of a manuscript, with her friends comments as footnotes in the margins in different fonts and handwriting. This does the heavy lifting of characterization for Winnie's friends and is a novel way to see into their personalities without Graff having to spell it out in the narrative. The book is touching and sensitive towards its subject matter and characters, but never looses its humorous tone. I'd recommend "The Great Treehouse War" as a fun book for kids, and anyone who's had to deal with the divorce of their parents.

-Jesse

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT!??? I LOVED THE COVER! How can it be too juvenile?

What is the world is going on in Winnie's life? Her super crazy and competitive parents are getting a divorce... which is just so sad. Today's children are more accustomed to multiple parents and living apart. But it is still an issue that children must deal with. How terrible that children are little humans that have no voice in their lives for the most part. They live where their parents desire, move when parents decide, their medical care, dental care, and many times sports they play and favorite subjects in school are often decided, if not influenced by parents. When parents become competitive for their child, it is almost certain that disaster is going to arrive for the child in the name of "good parenting". Buttons gets the "best cat of the year award" for being a good pet and pal, because, clearly her parents are not up for the "best parent" award.

In the end, Winnie is just overlooked and pulled into pieces! But the kids have an idea and respond by warring against having to come down from the treehouse. This book offers an age-appropriate example and view of this situation, hopefully for the child and the parent alike.

[St. Gerard Expectant Mothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story concerning a protagonist who tries to protest her "caught in the middle" role in the bitter custody fight between her divorced, bickering parents. The Great Treehouse War teaches children the significance of activism in a very small context but children will be enthralled by a story of a brave girl who stands up to adults. Furthermore, the fact that the main character is hinted to be of another cultural background really throws in something different in the mix. Plus, young readers will appreciate the fact that the book uses post-it notes, newspaper clippings, and even letters to make the story even more relatable. A wonderful read that you should pick up.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another Sequoyah nominee. Lisa Graff does not disappoint. We have all had disagreements in life. Winnie takes it to the extreme. She is suffering through her parents divorce and they are as well. Because they are not being reasonable, she escapes to her treehouse and won’t come down. Her friends join her and the world’s most amazing sleepover (until it’s not) ensues. All the kids realize things about themselves and the book is very enjoyable. Written in a very unique style, this book is a should read for middle grade readers.

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart, well-written, humorous, and thought provoking book about family relationships and friendship. All Winnie wants is for her recently divorced parents to talk with her together, but they’re so obsessed with outdoing each other they never hear her— until she moves into her Treehouse. A great book for parents and kids to read together. I love this one!

[Kate Feldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rating is on behalf of my 10 yo son, who loved this book. We listened to it together and I thought it was a great story too, well tuned to the target audience (the characters are all in 5th grade) but still interesting enough for me (ie, not all fart humor.) It was a story about finding the balance between speaking up for yourself and considering others.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for every kid who thinks that their parents don't listen to them. (And what kid doesn't think that? :) ) Light and fun, with an underlying message. Some of the characters weren't as well developed as others (but there's a good number, so that's not surprising). And there's a great cat buddy.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 11 and 9yo rated this one a 5 star. it has been a while since we finished a book in 4 days! They kept begging me to read it. This one was so very fun, and relatable. We're all sad it is over. I hope we can find another book that we all enjoy so very much.

[Jen Petro-Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A cute, fun read that kids will love.

[EJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent look at what healthy boundaries are and how to install them.

[Gulshan Naqvee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good one.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled a bit with how selfish the parents were. That was a bit unrealistic to me but otherwise a great story sure to please fans of Graff, of which they are many! Good empowering story.

[Marisa Groom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great middle grade novel! A novel about friendship / how crazy parents can seem to kids.... it's a very quick read---> multi media format