This book was cute. I think it could be hard for young children to understand without it being read, explained, then read again. There were two stories going on simultaneously. It’s about growing, learning to let go and dealing with loss. The tree being climbed and learning for fall from it was used as a symbol. I’d use this book in my class if a student was moving and a classmate may loose a friend. ( )

Adelia, Roger's best friend is moving away and decides to teach him how to climb a tree. As a reader, it took me a moment to realize the life lessons Adelia had discretely packaged into simply teaching Roger tree climbing. "Falling will be easy. Letting go will be the hardest part..." This would be a nice book to read to a class and open up the topic of the many ways of letting go. ( )

Roger's best friend Adelia is moving away, but first, she's going to teach him how to climb a tree...and how to fall. (The hardest part is letting go.) The illustrations enrich and add to the text of the story, showing the friends gathering supplies they need while Adelia packs for her move.

See also: Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! by Cori Doerrfeld ( )

When Roger's best friend Adelia announces that she is moving away, she softens the blow by telling him that she will teach him how to climb a tree. As she goes about gathering various materials, she gives instructions about each step of the process. As she is leaving, Roger asks her what will happen if he falls, to which she replies: "Falling will be easy. Letting go will be the hardest part..."

The third picture-book I have read from author/illustrator Vincent X. Kirsch, following upon his The Two Little Boys from Toolittle Toys and The Chandeliers, this sweet little story addresses one of the common challenges of childhood: parting with a good friend, when one of your must move away. I thought the use of the idea of letting go, in Adelia's instructions about tree-climbing, was inspired, as clearly Roger needs to do just that, not only with the tree, but with his friend as well. The illustrations here, created using a variety of media (watercolor, blank ink, glue, graphite, cut tracing paper), are colorful, engaging, and always expressive. I particularly like the four-panel page in which Roger climbs the tree, which is juxtaposed with a full-page illustration of him sitting upon a high branch. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about saying goodbye to a friend, because they are moving away. ( )