Alamo Tree
Year: 2020
Author: Tana S. Holmes
Length: 29 pages
As a new father, I can appreciate when picture books try and approach complex subjects. I’m already tired of learning about zoo animals and colors, so a book like Alamo Tree is a nice reprieve from the monotony. Granted, I don’t think my child is old enough yet to have the attention span to read this book, but it’s nice to know I have it when that time comes. Of course, I’m not sure when I’ll need to teach my child about the Alamo either.
Told through the perspective of a tree located at the Alamo site, Alamo Tree tries to make the tragedy that happened at the Alamo relatable to children. Unfortunately, this means it cuts out quite a bit of context that kids might miss and wouldn’t be appropriate for them anyway. Despite this, I’d consider Alamo Tree a good primer to gauge a child’s interest in American history (even if it’s a small, localized part of it). Perhaps if a child wants to learn more, then the parent can start looking for more comprehensive books about the topic or wait until they are older to expand their learning.
While the illustrations were passable, I think the one thing that really detracts from this book is the font. I understand that the font should appeal to children, and perhaps the sections where the words are directed toward these young readers are fine. However, this font is extremely hard to read in smaller sizes, which is where all the details about the Alamo are kept for adults to then expound to their children if needed. It might have been better if there was greater contrast between the font color and the background, but as it is, be prepared to muddle through it.
A history primer for children that needs its font reworked, I give Alamo Tree 3.5 stars out of 5.