A Singing Tree

The Singing Tree is a children's novel by Kate Seredy, the sequel to The Good Master. Also illustrated by Seredy, it was a Newbery Honor book in
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Horn Book Magazine included it on its Fanfare list of the best books of It has all the charm in text and pictures of its predecessor, The Good Master , and more mature technique. Story movingly told, skillfully interweaving incident and idea. More recently, children's literature expert Anita Silvey singled out the book's "strong and moving narrative".

The Singing Ringing Tree

Seredy was not afraid to tackle social issues in her books. Instead, war and the damage it does to people and the land is her theme. Seredy did not confine her story to showing only the problems of war for one side. According to Ann Bartholomew in Twentieth-Century Children's Writers Seredy was "one of the first children's writers to have dealt with the problems of the alien " during war times.

Inspired by Kate Seredy's book, artist Laurie Marshall founded the Singing Tree Project in when 8-year-old Meredith Miller asked her "What if the whole world made a painting together? She saw that the earth is like the Singing Tree of the galaxy, surrounded by no life for billions of miles.

Humans can choose to destroy each other and the planet, or create something beautiful that has never been heard before. A 3-meter-tall, wind-powered musical sculpture made of galvanized steel pipes, it stands high above the English town of Burnley. The pipes swirl to form the shape of a tree bent and blown by the wind, and produce an eerie, melodious hum as the constant wind on Crown Point drifts through them.

The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy

The sound produced by these twisted metal trees covers several octaves and is said to be simultaneously discordant and melancholy, and intensely beautiful. Completed in , the Tree was designed by award-winning architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu as part of a project created by the East Lancashire Environmental Arts Network to build a series of landmarks over the countryside.

The site at Burnley was once that of a re-diffusion transmission station, complete with a run-down brick building and unused telegraph lines. The station was dismantled and the lines cut down to be recycled, to make way for the Tree that was to stand out against the stark, rolling landscape of the Pennine mountain range.

The rather uncanny noises extracted from the pipes seem to match the mood of the TV series. The Tree is incredibly easy to find from Burnley by car. Simply drive up Manchester road past the cinema all the way to the crossroads at the top. Just past the crossroads is a small turn in on your left--go slow or you may miss the turn.

Follow Crown Point Rd for a mile or so and you will find a car park on your left. This is the parking for the Tree. Mythical castles and ancient witchcraft, ecological biomes and fairy-tale forests, sea tractors and flaming tar barrels—all this awaits you on our one-of-a-kind exploration of southern England's historic haunts and eccentric traditions. Sign up for our newsletter and get the best of Atlas Obscura in your inbox.

The illustrations of these books add to their appeal. Jan 27, Fluttershy rated it it was ok. Eh kind of boring. Jun 21, Saralyn rated it it was amazing Shelves: The sequel to "The Good Master," I might even like this one even better. Tells of what happens to the family during WWI.

Nice to hear it from their perspective. In this Newbery Honor book written by Kate Seredy, she focuses on a small farming village in Hungary where the war touched the townsfolk both with cruelty and brotherhood in their hearts.

Folklore and Magic of Southern England

Jancsi, just barely a teen, becomes the man of the family when his father goes off to war. He knows the land well, as well as the animals and it isn't difficult for him, yet the absence Newbery Honor: He knows the land well, as well as the animals and it isn't difficult for him, yet the absence of his father is palpable. As the war goes on, Jancsi, his mother, and his young cousin, Kate take in Russian prisoners and treat them as they expect their father and others like him to be treated in the same situation.

The Russians are jovial and hard-working and help with the chores. They become a family, as they see all humans having the same fears, loves, wants, and hopes.


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And, as the war goes on even further into years, the family welcomes six German children as refugees to their farm and the 'family' grows even larger. In the midst of all of it, Jancsi's father was returned to them, injured in the war. Once again, the love shown to one another went beyond nationalities or allegiances. As the war comes to an end and the refugees and prisoners return to their homeland, a bond has been made and a peacefulness is produced between countrymen.

The Singing Tree is a symbol for the refuge all of them found It does not discriminate. Neither did Jancsi and his family. A wonderful, peaceful story of the goodness of mankind and the joy we can find in our differences. A classic to be read and enjoyed by all. Feb 11, Thomas rated it really liked it. Wrote about life of the Hungarian including Jancsi and his cousin Kate.

There life change a lot when Jancsi's father give him a permission to be in charge of his owe thinking. Because his father is going to war in Jancsi's father also Wrote about farming for his family, so they will know what they have to do when he went to war. Jancsi and Kate must grow and take care of the farm and their family.

Actually this story start when Kate and Jancsi went to uncle Moses store to get ribbon for Kate. Uncle Moses is an old man that has a store. When they are finding the ribbon, a man came in to the store. His name is Peter, and he want some silver buttons for his wedding suit and a cow for the dowry trade by 40 sheep. I think 40 sheep is to much for some buttons and a cow. On that day when Jancsi's father is taking them home his father show Jancsi and Kate a Liberty equality fraternity, I don't know what is that.

A few day latter a group of men came to a food store in the village, those men have been soldier for 3 years. One man name Pali, he didn't get down from the horse but he let his friend bring food for him.

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So shout at him, he said "can't you walk" but he just doffed, grinned and didn't say any thing. Uncle Moses said that he will not put his foot on the ground except he will sleep for six months. Because he don't like what they let him do at the camp. A few day latter again, the Nagy family was call to a wedding of Peter and Mari. Lily was there at the wedding too. One time a man want to dance with her but she shout at him with some bad word.


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    8. So Kate came in and step on her toe, then Kate take Lily to a barn ,push her it to the straw and lock her in there. The next day judge leave Lily with the Nagy family, and tell Jancsi and Kate about what Lily saw yesterday, she saw 6 puppy. So Jancsi and Kate went and get them and bring to Lily, she is so happy. Lily is not bad any more, but change to be kind. There is a war know Lily's father have to go to war. One night Jancsi came down and saw his father sleep at with a book.

    So Jancsi wake him up and Jancsi father tell him about the book. In side book Father wrote about what to do while he is not here. The next day Jancsi and his father went in to town. Father said that he has some thing to do in the town, he went in to one office and let sign a paper. They eat dinner in the town when Jancsi is eating ice cream his father went out of the store and when he came back he is dress like a soldier. Father talk with him a little bit and he tell Jancsi to go back home and by the way don't look back.

    Jancsi went home, he didn't tell any body about father but his mom new it. One time father wrote to his family he told every body about the book, Jancsi for got all about the book, so he take the book out and do what the book said. One day when his father is at the war, six Russian prisoner came to stay at there house.

    Their name is Lily's mother came to stay at their house too, because she is sick. The Russian help a lot in the farm, but Kate never never let them take care the chickens because she think that they don't know how to take care Hungarian chicken. One day grandfather and grandmother wrote his mom, that they need to go stay with them. So the next day Jancsi, Kate and Lily went to get Jancsi's grandfather and grandmother. When they are at grandfather and grandmother's house, Lily saw a female cat.

    Jancsi's grandfather and grandmother tell that they can't take the cat home because the cat is not their cat. But Lily has a plan, she said to Kate that she will not live this cat alone. The next day there is another basket in the cart but no body about it except Lily and Kate.

    Singing Tree Rope Runner

    By the way home, the cat meow all the time so every body know about it, and they have to stop at the hospital because the cat. The doctor said that the cat need a bigger basket because she is going to have some kittens. So Kate and Lily walk around the hospital, and they saw some thing.

    It is Jancsi's father. The nurse came and tell them that he got some chock, so he lose all of his memory. Lily and Kate go in to Jancsi's father and blurt out loud at him about them shelve and his memory came back. Jancsi's father get to go back home with them, The house is full joy. The forth Christmas after the war had start Kate made a pant for all the Russian, the house is full of candle, song and joy.

    Jancsi Had time to play now and he had be like a kid again.

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    There are 14 people in the house now, but they what 6 more kid. Jancsi and his father went in the town to singe a paper that show that they will take care 3 boys and 3 girls. They are German children there is Lottie, a girl,six year old, weighs 35 pounds. Pauline, a girl,six year old, weighs Maria, a girl,six year old, weighs Hans, a boy, Twelve years old, weighs Paul, a boy, Twelve years old, weighs Johann, a boy, eleven years old, weighs They give the children each a animal cats and dog.

    They are having good time with the children. Each Russian get to take care a child, and the Russian help to translate. One day Kate have a bit with Jancsi, they are going to race horses, and the person who win will get to eat sausages. When the race start, it seem that Jancsi will win but Kate is the person who win.

    Another Christmas come through. Jancsi's father had tell a story about a singing tree, he tell how does it sing and how beautiful it is. On a few next day Jancsi's father go in to the village. Uncle Moses show him the news paper, it told that the war is over. The whole would is full with joy and party. This story end with happy nest just like every story. Apart from all the casual sexism from Jancsi, this was surprisingly really really good. It said a lot about war, and really drove home the message that war is meaningless.

    Also that people wanted their sons to be made prisoners, because it meant they'd be out of the war - I suppose this is 20 years before concentration camps and stuff, and they're not in POW camps but sent to be on farms. Isn't this l Apart from all the casual sexism from Jancsi, this was surprisingly really really good. Jul 10, Peace rated it it was amazing. Jansci and Kate's adventures in the first book are heartfelt and make you think of a perfect childhood, and while The Singing Tree has more themes of war and the cousins struggle with growing up, I was struck by how probably because the book was written in , and also probably because of a different culture who we call 'teenagers' nowadays and here in America The Singing Tree is the sequel to The Good Master, but they could be read separately; both are happy books that ALL ages will enjoy.

    Jansci and Kate's adventures in the first book are heartfelt and make you think of a perfect childhood, and while The Singing Tree has more themes of war and the cousins struggle with growing up, I was struck by how probably because the book was written in , and also probably because of a different culture who we call 'teenagers' nowadays and here in America were portrayed as still children, struggling with life during war, but still having fun.

    There was no drama, only a kind of family story that made me think a little of a condensed Little Women.

    I think that is so great- everyone should read these. Oct 22, Richard Koerner rated it it was amazing. This story was truly wonderful and gave me great insight into a time period when my Hungarian grandparents were in the United States and their families still in a very troubled Europe. I especially enjoyed it since the farm life depicted is exactly what my maternal grandmother had left in Europe.

    I loved Kate Seredy's take on the politics and more importantly, the people. Terrible stereotypes that I thought were rampant were not a part of the book. Although I know they existed in force, at least it was good to see that Kate's views were unlike those of others.

    The Singing tree - Picture of The Singing Ringing Tree, Burnley

    The illustrations of the book, and they are on pretty much every other page, are exquisite. What a delightful read and I look forward to my next Kate Seredy book. Jun 30, Angie rated it it was amazing Shelves: