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Delia Berlin was born and raised in Argentina but has spent most of her life in Connecticut. Her professional career has focused on education and administration. With graduate degrees in both Physics and Family Studies, she also worked in early intervention and taught child development at the college level. With her children’s writing Delia seeks to spark new insights and to convey joy through age-appropriate humor, while expanding vocabulary and social skills. She is also the author of Tales of Eva and Lucas – Cuentos de Eva y Lucas, Training Captive Bred Parrots and Mature Bird Care.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
The Cherry Tree - El Cerezo by Delia Berlin is a bilingual story book about a cherry tree that gives delicious cherries to everyone around it. The neighborhood animals - rabbits, raccoons, squirrels and deer - are some of the animals that relish the delicious cherries. They all have some, but when the fruit is finished they start blaming each other. Now they are hungry and there is no more fruit on the tree. But wise Woodchuck has a big stash of cherries which he harvested. It is a story which conveys many messages to children - that of friendship, not to play the blame game, and how to appreciate nature's gifts.
The cherry tree with its cherries and all the animals will attract children to the story. The illustrations are bright and colorful and they give movement and life to the story. I love the fact that the author has given the cherry tree a personality of its own, and that makes it carry the story as well. The tree is also a symbol of giving. The theme of friendship, the blame game which we all play, and the other messages that are subtly conveyed by the author give the book another dimension.
Because of its messages and concepts, it would be perfect for children's libraries and for school libraries. The story makes a good read-aloud theme and is excellent for story telling sessions. The book reminded me of Shel Silverstein's Giving Tree in many ways.
