My Magnificent Jelly Bean Tree

by Maura Finn, Aura Parker (Illustrator)

Overview

"And, oh, all the fun we shall have, In our marvelous jelly bean tree. We'll make jelly bean pie, Served with jelly bean cream, And a large pot of jelly bean tea."

Some people say jelly beans don't grow on trees. Not this little boy . . . he believes in magic. The kind of magic that takes him to the top of the jelly bean tree to watch a river of clouds in the sky or slide down the tree, dizzily whizzing, on a helter-skelter slide. He watches his jelly bean tree grow. He fantastically feasts on jelly beans and triumphantly crowns himself the jelly bean king!

A magical tale that will delight all ages with whimsical illustrations bursting with color.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781913639990
Publisher:	New Frontier Publishing
Publication date:	10/04/2022
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.25(w) x 11.25(h) x (d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Born and bred in New Zealand, Maura Finn now lives in Melbourne, Australia. Rediscovering the joy and value of picture books through sharing them with her own children, she is delighted to think that her stories may contribute to other children's love of reading.

Aura Parker likes drawing on themes of nature, humanity, and childhood. Her work is insightful, with whimsical and imaginative details. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her family.

Editorial Reviews

"A sweet treat for the young and young at heart."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2022-08-17
Why buy dry jelly beans from a shop when you can get them fresh from your very own tree?

It doesn’t take much—just some sugar and jugs of jelly—and soon this little curly-haired boy has a tree all to himself. And why stop at harvesting jelly beans when you can build your own sky-high treehouse and even dance nude in the rain on the branch of your tree? This creative child even imagines a splendiferous crown with which to stake his claim of “Jelly Bean King.” With a barrage of the sugary goodies, he successfully defends his colorful kingdom against invading weasels, mice, and a strange bird. But even a monarch gets lonely from time to time. After he sends out an airmail invitation, his family joyfully gathers round for a fantasy teatime. Finn’s whimsical rhymes explore the make-believe world of every child’s dream—candy on demand! “Some people say, ‘Jelly beans don’t grow on trees!’ / I wonder, ‘Well how do they know?’ / Perhaps all their jelly beans failed to sprout… / But my one has started to grow.” Parker’s playfully inventive illustrations are the perfect backdrop for the fantastical narrative. The ending of this British import, which sees the child’s loving family with attributes of the animal intruders, offers a particularly charming visual parallel. The boy and his family are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A sweet treat for the young and young at heart. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews