Eliza's Cherry Trees: Japan's Gift to America

This biography centers on Eliza Scidmore, whose world travels and appreciation for Japanese gardens led her on a campaign to have cherry trees planted in Washington, D.C., in 1912. In a story about maintaining persistence despite rejection, Zimmerman (Digger Man) emphasizes Scidmore's refusal to give up on her "good idea," though each new head of the parks department dismisses it; when First Lady Taft finally embraces Scidmore's plan, the first shipment of trees are infested with bugs and must be burned. Finally, 3,000 healthy cherry trees arrive, and the first two trees are planted in Potomac Park in a modest ceremony. Chen's (The Jade Stone) illustrations merge hints of 19th-century impressionism with dynamic color combinations and hazy representations of the adventurous subject's photography. Though Zimmerman's sentences don't demonstrate much variation in cadence--"Eliza wanted to keep traveling, so she had to find a way. After college, Eliza started writing articles for the newspaper. She worked hard and made good money"--Scidmore's tender story points to the rewards of investing in aesthetic beauty. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

Gr 4-6--Author, photographer, and the first woman to have an important role at the National Geographic Society, Eliza Scidmore grew up in the late 1800s in her mother's boardinghouse in Washington, DC. She loved to travel, and after college and a trip to Alaska, she visited her older brother, who was living in Japan. Scidmore fell in love with the country and its people, and especially with its cherry trees. On returning to Washington, she began thinking about bringing the trees to her homeland and pursued her dream for more than 20 years. Finally, she wrote a letter to President Taft's wife, who loved the idea. Two thousand trees arrived in Washington in 1910 but had to be destroyed due to disease; three thousand were successfully planted two years later. This is an inspiring, heartwarming story of determination and spirit. The writing flows well, and the lush illustrations are reminiscent of Impressionist paintings. They give a solid sense of the time period and locations. Because of its picture-book format, this title may get lost in the nonfiction area, so collections will want to highlight it.--DeAnn Okamura, San Mateo County Library, CA