The Tree That Went Sailing
by: Dennis Johnson
Ever seen a tree go sailing?
Readers will be charmed by Dennis Johnson’s whimsical and engaging picture book, The Tree That Went Sailing.
(Oh, yes, did we forget to mention it is based on a true story?)
“I think I shall never see,
A poem as lovely as a tree…” – Joyce Kilmer
There was once a tree on an island – a buttonwood tree – tall, majestic, and proud. But he was lonely. The place where he grew had no laughing children running about, nobody making a swing on his limbs, or a tree house on his trunk.
Then one day, everything changed as he was transferred to another estate – across the waterway – and he had to go sailing! A big crane carefully lifted him onto a barge, and off he went on the waterway. His sailing journey was an adventure and he got to see many things.
Finally, they arrived and he was replanted. This estate had kids who were eager to play around him, and there were also friendly squirrels running around his branches. He was not lonely anymore – and was finally home.
The Tree That Went Sailing is based on a true story about a family in Palm Beach that wanted a tree to grace the landscaping of their estate. The landscaper found the perfect tree on Ibis Island and – travelling the waterway and streets – it was finally replanted on its new location. The cost to relocate it via the barge to its new home was $100,000.