About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is caught in a cycle of frustration or when a simple problem has spiraled into a big, messy ordeal. It is the perfect antidote to 'stuck' feelings, using absurdist humor to mirror the way children (and adults) sometimes try to solve problems with increasingly illogical intensity. The story follows Floyd, who gets his kite stuck in a tree and proceeds to throw everything from his shoe to a whale and a house into the branches to knock it loose. While the book centers on a frustrating situation, the tone is purely comedic and lighthearted. It normalizes the experience of losing one's temper and making questionable choices in the heat of the moment, all while celebrating the ridiculousness of the human experience. It is a wonderful choice for ages 3 to 7, providing a safe space to laugh at frustration rather than be overwhelmed by it.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
The book’s absurdist humor involves the protagonist throwing various items into the tree, including a cat and an orangutan. While presented as slapstick, this may be distressing for very sensitive readers who are concerned about animal welfare.
Ideal Reader
A child who enjoys 'slapstick' humor or a student who is currently struggling with a task and needs a laugh to break their tension. It is perfect for kids who love to ask 'what if?' and enjoy seeing the rules of reality stretched to the breaking point.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. The hand-lettered font is charming but occasionally requires a quick scan to ensure smooth delivery during a read-aloud. You may want to discuss the consequences of escalation and how hyper-focusing on a goal can sometimes lead to making a bigger mess than the original problem.
Age Experience
For a 3-year-old, the humor is found in the physical comedy of throwing a cat or a boat into a tree. A 7-year-old will appreciate the irony of the ending and the sophisticated pacing of the escalation.
What Makes It Special
Oliver Jeffers uses a minimalist art style and handwritten text to create a deeply personal, sketchbook-like feel. Unlike many 'problem-solving' books, this one doesn't offer a moralistic lesson on logic; instead, it offers the catharsis of pure, unadulterated absurdity.
Read plot summary
Floyd gets a kite stuck in a tree. He throws a shoe to knock it down, which gets stuck. He throws the other shoe, which also gets stuck. The escalation continues with a cat, a ladder, a pot of paint, a duck, a chair, a bicycle, a kitchen sink, a milkman, an orangutan, a small boat, a big ship, and even a house. Eventually, he throws a saw, which finally knocks the kite loose. Floyd goes to bed happy, though the tree is now filled with an impossible collection of items.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Floyd threw a lot of things into that tree! What was the most ridiculous item he threw, and why do you think he thought it would help?
2
At one point, Floyd throws a ladder into the tree instead of using it to climb up. Why do you think he did that? Have you ever been so frustrated that you forgot to use a tool the right way?
3
By the end of the story, Floyd gets his kite back and goes to sleep happy. But what about the milkman and the whale? What do you think they are doing in the tree now?
4
If you were Floyd, what would you have done differently to get the kite down?
