Synopsis
Juliet’s a worrywart, and no wonder! Her little sister, Oaf, follows her around taking notes and singing “The Irritating Song” all day long. Her parents are always arguing about Dad’s clutter. Nana’s so tired of craft lessons that she starts barbecuing things in the middle of the night. And Juliet’s friends Lindsay and Gemma are competing to see which of them is her best friend. Juliet can’t fit in any more worries!
But then she makes a remarkable discovery. Behind the wallpaper in her new bedroom, Juliet uncovers an old painting of a very special tree. Nana remembers it well: it’s the Worry Tree, and with the help of the Worry Tree animals, Juliet just might be able to solve some of life’s big problems.
School Library Journal
Gr 3-5
Juliet is a worrier. She worries about her parents arguing, her irritating younger sister, her grandmother's health, her friends, and the school bully. After a fight with her sister, her parents decide that she needs her own room. Juliet's new bedroom, her father's former junk room, is revealed to have been her Nana's bedroom when she was about 10 years old. Behind the old wallpaper, Juliet finds her grandmother's "worry tree." Nana explains that each of the animals sitting in the tree can be trusted to take care of one of Juliet's various concerns while she is sleeping, just as they did for her when she was a girl. Each night, Juliet unburdens herself, and this helps for a while. Then the whole family becomes embroiled in an argument that brings up all of the issues that Juliet has been concerned about. She believes it is all her fault and decides to give up her room. Musgrove gives a realistic picture of an ordinary family dealing with a variety of common problems, such as sibling rivalry, incompatibility, and parental aging. The book's one flaw is the girl's solution to the school bully, which isn't very realistic. The author has, however, provided a unique solution for Juliet's worries. An additional purchase.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR