Description
When Kenzie picks out a small tree for her family's backyard, she promises to take care of it.
It seems delicate, just like her mom, who doesn't always feel well. As the seasons change, her mom's health has ups and downs, and the tree sways in the wind and weather. Sometimes her mom is too tired to play, and they just cuddle. Other times, she has to go to the hospital. During the winter, she's away for many days. When a snowstorm hits, Kenzie frantically tries to keep the tree warm. And she worries: Has she broken her promise? But no matter the challenges, come springtime, the tree is still there, blossoming and strong—just like her mom, and just like Kenzie.
Author Bio
Alison McGauley is a special-education teacher, author and mom. As a person living with multiple chronic illnesses, Alison is passionate about writing stories that speak to children and caregivers who are impacted by illness or disability. Kenzie’s Little Tree is Alison’s debut picture book. When she’s not teaching, reading or writing, Alison enjoys family adventures and being surrounded by trees in local forests and trails. She resides in Ontario with her partner, two daughters and ragdoll cat.
Emilie Leduc received her college diploma in animation from the Cégep du Vieux Montréal in 2005 and worked as a computer graphics designer and animation artist on several television series. She later completed a bachelor’s degree in graphic design at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) in 2010, where she received the Michèle Lemieux Award for Illustration. Among her many publications, her picture book La ronde des mois was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Illustration in 2012. Emilie lives in Montreal, where she continues to create, write and illustrate books for children and youth.
Prizes
- FOLD Kids Summer Reading ListCommended 2025
Review Quotes
“Alison McGauley handles the emotional subject matter of a loved one’s chronic illness with tenderness and love, depicting all the different experiences Kenzie’s mother enjoys with her family throughout the year but also the pain of her absence in their everyday lives when she must return to the hospital. The story encourages appreciating the time and experiences we have in the moment rather than resenting change and the passage of time. Emilie Leduc’s illustrations are equally gentle, displaying the coziness of each season rendered in immersive pastels. Recommended.”
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials“This poetic picture book is a love letter to all families who manage chronic illness on a regular basis. A heartfelt book that will resonate with families familiar with the struggles that come with chronic illness.”
— School Library Journal (SLJ)Biographical note
Alison McGauley is a special education teacher, author and mom. As a person living with multiple chronic illnesses, Alison is passionate about writing stories that speak to children and caregivers who are impacted by illness or disability. She aims to create books with big heart for little readers. Kenzie’s Little Tree is Alison’s debut picture book. When she’s not teaching, reading or writing, Alison enjoys family adventures and being surrounded by trees in local forests and trails. She resides in Ontario with her partner, two daughters and ragdoll cat.
Emilie Leduc received her college diploma in animation from the Cégep du Vieux Montréal in 2005 and worked as a computer graphics designer and animation artist on several television series. She later completed a bachelor’s degree in graphic design at the University of Québec at Montréal (UQAM) in 2010, where she received the Michèle Lemieux Award for Illustration. Among her many publications, her picture book La ronde des mois was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Illustration in 2012. Her latest book is La soupe au lait. Emilie lives in Montreal, where she continues to create, write and illustrate books for children and youth.
