Under The Chinaberry Tree

Within the tranquil setting of a small New Jersey town in the early 1900s, this novel by a noted Harlem Renaissance author explores tempestuous issues that range from racial identity to adultery, incest, and deception.

Dreaming of living in the cities that she sees from the top of the chinaberry tree, young Zora learns about reaching for her dreams and listens to the stories of her fellow townspeople, from whom she obtains the secret of keeping the past alive

Zinnia and her friends stray from the school yard one cool afternoon. However, their collective intuitive fear serves them in good stead, and they return to school unharmed.

Celebrating Chinaberry's twentieth anniversary, the women behind America's beloved children's book catalog share their wisdom about the joys of children's literature and parenting. The Chinaberry catalog was created when Ann Ruethling became troubled by the violence in many old-fashioned nursery stories and the poor grammar or mediocre plots in newer children's books. Handpicking a hundred high-quality titles a year, she has become an indispensable friend to thousands of parents, and Chinaberry has become a gold standard for its industry. Under the Chinaberry Tree celebrates the world of children's books. In warm "one-mother-to-another" prose, Ruethling and her business partner, Patti Pitcher, reflect on the family-first concepts that resonate so strongly with Chinaberry fans and all parents. Exploring the books that have made a difference in their children's lives, the tender experience of reading with children and the moments that make parenting a unique journey, this guide is sure to enrich every family's bookshelf.

A family makes its annual pilgrimage to decorate an evergreen tree with food for the forest animals at Christmastime.