The Shrinking of Treehorn [Hardcover]

Florence Parry Heide (Author), Edward Gorey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1988 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

A boy discovers he is shrinking but does not know the cause or cure.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Treehorn is clearly shrinking, and his parents aren't the least bit interested. His mother is obsessed with whether or not her cake will rise. His father, at one point addressing a son who can barely see over the table, states blindly, "Nobody shrinks." Treehorn doesn't seem all that bothered that his clothes are hanging over his extremities; he just feels someone should know. But the adults he tries to notify brush off his claim as either a ploy for attention or downright bad behavior.

Treehorn's parents, his teacher, and his principal respond (or fail to respond) to his drastically diminishing stature in ways that will ring true to any kid who has tried to convince adults of the existence of fairies, the Loch Ness Monster, or things that go bump in the night. Edward Gorey's stark, intricately patterned black-and-white drawings are simultaneously quaint and creepy, setting the perfect stage for Treehorn's tale--a story for any child who has ever felt ignored by grown-ups (in other words, a story for all). (Ages 4 to 8)

About the Author

Edward Gorey was born in chicago and received his B.A. at Harvard. He says that his formal art training has been "negligible." He is the author and artist of books for both children and adults. He lives in New York City.

Mrs. Heide is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She began writing children's books in 1967 and has published over a dozen of them. She lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin with her husband and five children. She is the mother of authors Judith Heide Gilliland and Roxanne Heide Pierce.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1 edition (January 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823401898
• ISBN-13: 978-0823401895
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #966,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treehorn is shrinking; adults in his life don't get it., March 21, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Shrinking of Treehorn (Hardcover)

"The Shrinking of Treehorn" is a children's book that appeals to adult as much as children. It represents a somewhat magical story of the kindergarten set. Grown-ups see it as a story about adults so involved in getting through their days that they don't realize that Treehorn is truly shrinking.

The scene in which Treehorn is sent to the principal's office is one of the funniest views of schools that exists.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite children's book!, January 27, 2000

By 

Tineke van Oudenhoven (Leiden, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Shrinking of Treehorn (Hardcover)

This is really a top-ranked children's book. It is very cleverly written. It shows nicely and humorously how people -even when they live close together- can be completely blind to each other. I have noticed that not only children can readily identify with the drawings and the story, but also that adults like it very much. Indeed, I have great pleasure in gifting it to my best friends, who all like it, without exception. The text and the drawings are perfect in their own right and do perfectly match each other. The drawings are most funny and to the point. Highly recommended!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strangeness is delightful, April 13, 2001

By 

Amanda Reno "Twitch City fan" (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shrinking of Treehorn (Paperback)

This was one of my favorite books as a child, and nearly 20 years later, it's still high on my list. When I first read it, I was amazed because it was completely different from anything else I had ever been given to read. I think all kids have endured the problem of trying to get adults to listen to them and take them seriously, and Treehorn's somewhat absurd quest to get someone to notice his shrinking is easy to identify with. The book may have no "moral", but so what? Kids need books that enchant and delight them--if you only give them didactic and "proper" tales, reading becomes a boring chore. If you weren't fortunate enough to read this as a child, make up for lost time now.