The Singing Tree (Newbery Library, Puffin)

Beautiful and captivating story. While this book is technically a sequel, it can be read alone. The story follows the lives of a family and their friends during World War I. It introduces the reader to the beautiful Hungarian culture and the affect of war on culture, family and individuals on both sides. My fifth grader read it out loud while my third grader followed along. Both children enjoyed it.

This is a great book. My grandson uses it to learn about the war for school.

The pair of books by Kate Seredy have always been my favorite childhood books. As my oldest grand-daughter is turning 8, I remembered these books suddenly for the magical story in the first book, "The Good Master" and the sequel, "The Singing Tree". As I am an artist, the quality of the author's illustrations add much to the stories. I have to believe that reading these two books and savoring the illustrations contributed greatly to my love of reading and of art. While the rural life in Europe long ago may seem hard to imagine for a young child in today's world, the beautiful, exciting and compelling stories in the books will make a faraway place and time come alive. Some children enjoy fantasy novels and this one is more like historical fiction of the best rank, although they may view it as fantasy. These books are told through the experience of "real children", no different than young children these days in their wonder, little dramas, struggle to grow and their feelings. I would recommend this book and the first one particularly for any girl aged 8 or older to read by herself. I'd recommend it as a great read-aloud book you share for any girls 5 or older. It is a joy to re-read myself, about 50 years after I first discovered them.

Arrived quickly in excellent condition

Not the best book that I have ever read, but it was interesting and enjoyable and very easy to read.

This is such a wonderful book. Tells the story of a family in Hungary and the community they reside with. It expresses well how the horrors of war echo everywhere.

Homeschool FAVORITE!!!! I have a boy (10) and a girl (13) and of the MANY books we have read over the years as we homeschool this one stands out as one of their favorites!!!! While studying WWI, my daughter asked for some living books from the time period to add to our studies as that helps her relate to and learn about each time period. I found many living books for WWII but it was not as easy to find living books about WWI. Found this one as well as Nesthakchen and both ended up being family favorites!!! My daughter has actually said that The Singing Tree is one of her FAVORITE books EVER and she reads A LOT of books!!! Very engaging and touching story that really brings the time period to life. Highly recommend!!!!!

I like this little series. This one takes place during world war one and has a more serious tone. The book was shipped quickly and came in a timely manner.

Great story that takes place in Hungary at the beginning of WW1. Used in our homeschool and became a book we talked lots about afterwards.

This book was sent to me by grandparents in 1944 and I have read it many times since. Set in Hungary prior to and during WWI, the story tells of the resilience and simplicity of a Hungarian family in a rural community whose generations are drawn unwillingly but proudly into war, leaving the young to manage the farms and grow to early maturity. The tales of shared sadnesses and joys across the local communities and those who have been accepted from other places is uplifting in our current times of division. An often emotional read. The illustrations by the author are stunning.

The Singing Tree is a sequel to The Good Master. I bought both for a young friend on the recommendation of my grandkids who loved them. My young friend did, too. Both are excellent books! I highly recommend them.

This book is the sequel to The Great Master. It is set at the beginning of a war and i didn’t enjoy it. Much too sad and definitely not a bed-time story for children.

This was a book I used to own as a child and had been trying to obtain a copy for a child who had a Hungarian mother and English father. I was so pleased to be able to obtain a copy. The child’s father decided to read the book and phoned me expressing great enthusiasm. I shall probably at some point want to buy further copied, as I cannot find my childhood copy.