"Solomon's Tree" by Andrea Spalding and illustrated by Janet Wilson is a marvelous children's picture book. This book tells the story of Solomon, a young Aboriginal boy who cherishes and feels very close with the big old tree near his house. Therefore, Solomon is terribly upset when a storm causes the tree to come down. He feels bereft and struggles to deal with his loss. When Solomon's uncle offers to create a mask using the wood from the beloved tree for Solomon, following the traditions of their people, Solomon jumps at the chance to help. The story beautifully shows the sacred process of carving and wearing a mask and teaches the reader and Solomon about the circle of life and the interconnectedness of all things. The soft yet detailed illustrations bring the story to life in a realistic and engaging way. While there is no mention of either the author or illustrator identifying with a particular Aboriginal community, the fact that this book was officially awarded by the First Nations Community Reads board in 2004 as a top recommended read the means that this book is a good choice in terms of authentically representing an Aboriginal family in a positive and reasonable manner. Additionally, the material about the carving of the mask is based on master carver Victor Reese's work, who comes from the Tsimpshian band.
This book also was selected from Fraser Valley Regional Library's "All Abord for Kindergarten" reading program as an excellent choice for young children's literature. From the Strongnations.com website, this book is listed as a resource for Grade 1, in the subject area of Life Science. With all those recommendations, you won't go wrong reading this book to your child/in a program/to your classroom!
Reference:
Spalding, A., & Wilson, J. (Illustrator). (2002). Solomon's tree. Victoria, British Columbia: Orca Book Publishers.
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