With the skill of a weaver, Yarbrough has woven the variegated threads of African-American history into a memorable story for young readers that speaks of the rich of the Africans brought in captivity to America.  It tells of a people who "refuse[d] to die small," symbolized by the shade-covered small tree that grew against all odds. Then there is the story of the Negro spirituals, the sounds of praise and solace and cleverly disguised coded messages of plans for escape - the music form academically called the root of rhythm and blues.

The narration further describes the unbroken thread of civil rights leaders across the years and their tireless quest for freedom. Selecting a warm family gathering at a concert in the park as the background, Yarbrough's informative text is filled with a rhythmic use of language - poetic, alliterative, onomatopoeic - that begs to be read aloud.  Geter's black-and-white sketches capture the many moods of the text - celebration, religious fervor, and family love. ~ Henrietta M. Smith