The Tree of Time: A Story of a Special Sequoia

by Kathy Baron

This colorful volume is a wonderful introduction to the story of the giant sequoia, the world’s largest tree. Tracing the life of one special sequoia that lived for over 2,000 years, it shows the stages of development of the tree in relation to important events in world history. When the Tree of Time is only a seedling, Hannibal and his elephants are crossing the Alps. While the sequoia grows, humankind progresses from wooden-wheeled chariots and rock paintings to space ships on the moon and computers. Children will be captivated by the parade of events illustrated here, and there’s an informative time-line of world history that runs throughout the book. The reader is left with a real appreciation for the remarkable age of the Tree of Time and giant sequoias generally.

Genres: Childrens

40 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1994

Reviews

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it. You can read it on multiple levels, adding or subtracting details as the child's maturity and attention span allow.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointment.

Yes, the tree grows slowly over a long span of time, but the prompts that should help kids visualize the centuries/millennia aren't appropriate. The first four:
- The Colossus of Rhodes, a huge statue of the sun god, was built by the Greeks.
- Greek astronomer Aristarchus stated that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
- Archimedes, a Greek mathematician, outline the laws of specific gravity.
- Hannibal crossed the Alps.

References to Stonehedge and the Egyption pyramids (and other familiar events) would have been appropriate since they are more familiar to kids.

[Ash 😵‍💫 · Rating 5 out of 5]

My dear friend got this book for me for my birthday. Sweet, quick book about how a tree’s lifespan is endless, and how our lifespan is a blink in the eye in comparison.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Old Children's Book. Liked it as a kid, but haven't read it in years.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for children! The author follows one sequoia from seedling to full growth and aligns the tree's growth with historical events.