All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing by Chris Barton, illustrated by Nicole Xu

Wow!  When I closed this book, the first thing I did was look at the publication date…2020.  I said to my kids who were sitting with me, “This will win awards in 2020!”

That may sound a bit corny, but this nonfiction, narrative picture book is amazingly beautiful.  Barton eloquently, yet simply, tells a story about the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City.  What is so special about this book is that the story that he crafts about the events of that day are centered around a lone tree that was left battered yet still standing after the bombing.  The injured tree mirrors the injured people who were connected to the tragedy.  As the tree grows healthier, its saplings are transported and cared for by visitors who come to the memorial that now stands in tribute to those lost, those who survived, and those who rescued and repaired the city.  There is hope in those saplings, hope that the people who were injured by the tragedy have also been filled with growth and strength. 

The word choices that Barton uses and the details that he chose to include and exclude are perfect.  Nicole Xu’s illustrations and color choices are a seamless complement.  Readers, just as I did, will want to know more about the Survivor Tree, its saplings that have been replanted all over the country, survivor stories, and more.  Hint: see the back of the book for interesting notes and resources for further reading. 

So, All of a Sudden and Forever is not only a beautiful story, but it can be the perfect opening to further inquiry about tragedy and triumph.  In my eyes, it’s an award winner.   

All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing by Chris Barton & illustrated by Nicole Xu, unpaged picture book from Carolrhoda Books (2020). ISBN # 978-1-5415-2669-3

Ideal for elementary and middle-grade readers (or anyone who loves nonfiction texts that don’t feel like nonfiction)