SOLVED. 1970s YA Sci Fi. Kid befriends alien 'tree'. [s]

[James]

This was a YA novel before YA was a specific thing, perhaps 1970-72. A fairly slim book. A kid discovers a sentient tree in woods near his/her house that turns out to be a alien.

I have the recollection that it was by someone famous for other writings or efforts — such as the British witch Sybil Leek. But all my searches have come up dry. (Thanks!)

[Capn]

Sybil Leek wrote The Tree That Conquered the World - have you ruled that out?
"The human race is in danger of being snuffed out by suffocation from smog until a young Los Angeles boy discovers a talking tree from Mars which has "invaded" Earth."
On OpenLibrary (but almost nowhere else!): https://openlibrary.org/works/OL15857...

A second 'tree' title of hers is mentioned (but no copy available to read): A Fool and a Tree: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL46407...

There's a list that *may* have caught it here:
Fantasy with Tree Characters:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

If not, it could be worthwhile to skim through this:
Children's Science Fiction of the 1970s:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Any other details you can provide us with? :) However nebulous! (Sounds interesting!)

[bookel]

Beverley Nichols (male author), The tree that sat down
https://www.librarything.com/nseries/...
perhaps?

[SamSpayedPI]

The Tree That Sat Down by Beverley Nichols for bookel's link.

[James]

Capn wrote: "Sybil Leek wrote The Tree That Conquered the World - have you ruled that out?
"The human race is in danger of being snuffed out by suffocation from smog until a young Los Angeles boy..."

That's almost certainly it, thanks! I was right, it was Leek... but the book appears to be so obscure, or so far outside her usually writings, that I can't find a list that includes it (with her witchcraft, occult, etc. writings dominating most lists.)

Also one of those "everyone lists, no one has" books. It must have been published on a very small scale, and I can see why it might not have gotten much traction in sales in that era... a bit like "My Puppy Paulie" by Aleister Crowley... :)

Internet Archive has it. I'll look through it there. No wish to reread it, I was just baffled by its seeming nonexistence. I didn't think I was hallucinating things at at 10.!

[James]

bookel wrote: "Beverley Nichols (male author), The tree that sat down
https://www.librarything.com/nseries/...
perhaps?"

No, very different book — but thanks!

[Capn]

Oh wonderful! Yes, I am personally often thankful for Archive.org (=Internet Archive & OpenLibrary)!!! :D

Sure sounds interesting! Might give it a read. :)

[James]

Capn wrote: "Oh wonderful! Yes, I am personally often thankful for Archive.org (=Internet Archive & OpenLibrary)!!! :D

Sure sounds interesting! Might give it a read. :)"

Actually, I just browsed it and nothing changed my recollection that it's pretty tepid proto-YA from the era. Only the unusual author makes it worth any special look. But it was very satisfying to scratch the recollection itch!

I have another one that I think is going to stump even the crowd here, but I'll give it a shot. :)

[Capn]

Please do! This is a truly amazing forum! :)