Florence Parry Heide

For one brief day the leaves of the maple tree in Treehorn's backyard turn into dollar bills.

Treehorn's Treasure

Sarah Sammis

Treehorn's Treasure by Florence Parry Heide is the second in the Treehorn trilogy. In this one, the tree in the backyard briefly grows paper money and Treehorn is able to use it to buy the comics collection he has been wanting.

This book works with the same practical magic logic as The Shrinking of Treehorn. Something Treehorn puts in the tree makes the tree grow the paper money. When he removes it, the tree stops.

Like Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krause Rosenthal (review coming), the Treehorn books work on role reversal. He, though a child, acts as the responsible one while his parents are self absorbed and childish. Treehorn's parents, though present, ignore their son's need for attention. Nor do they listen to him when he mentions what he likes or wants.

What makes the story tick though, are Edward Gorey's wonderful pen and ink illustrations. It would be a very different series with a lighter or comedic touch to the pictures.