TofuFlyout DIY in July Shop Men's Classics Shop Men's Classics Shop Men's Learn more nav_sap_cbcc_7_fly_beacon $5 Albums See All Deals Storm Free Fire TV Stick with Purchase of Ooma Telo Grocery Home Improvement Shop all gdwf gdwf gdwf  Amazon Echo  Amazon Echo All-New Kindle Paperwhite GNO Shop Cycling on Amazon Deal of the Day
Qty:1
FREE Shipping on orders over $35.
Only 12 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Gift-wrap available.
The Shrinking of Treehorn has been added to your Cart
Want it tomorrow, July 24? Order within and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details

Ship to:
Select a shipping address:
To see addresses, please
or
Please enter a valid zip code.
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: Solid used copy with visible wear.

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Wish List unavailable.
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon
Flip to back Flip to front
Listen Playing... Paused   You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more
See all 2 images

The Shrinking of Treehorn Hardcover – January 1, 1988

16 customer reviews

See all 16 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions
Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover
"Please retry"
$16.95
$9.92 $0.01
Unknown Binding
"Please retry"
$10.00

There Was an Old Mummy Who Swallowed a Spider
There Was an Old Mummy Who Swallowed a Spider
From the creators of the bestselling There Was an Old Monkey Who Swallowed a Frog comes a spooky rendition of the popular “Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” song. See more | See more in this series
$16.95 FREE Shipping on orders over $35. Only 12 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Frequently Bought Together

The Shrinking of Treehorn + Amos & Boris
Price for both: $24.40

Buy the selected items together


NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE
Best Books of the Month
Best Books of the Month
Want to know our Editors' picks for the best books of the month? Browse Best Books of the Month, featuring our favorite new books in more than a dozen categories.

Product Details

  • Age Range: 6 and up
  • Grade Level: 1 and up
  • Hardcover: 63 pages
  • Publisher: Holiday House; 1 edition (January 1, 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: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,003,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  •  Would you like to update product info, give feedback on images, or tell us about a lower price?

Customer Reviews

5 star
94%
4 star
0%
3 star
0%
2 star
0%
1 star
6%
See all 16 customer reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful By A Customer on March 21, 1998
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
"The Shrinking of Treehorn" is a children's book that appeals to adults 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.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful By Tineke van Oudenhoven on January 27, 2000
Format: 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!
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful By Amanda Reno on April 13, 2001
Format: 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.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful By Suzanne Amara TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on April 27, 2000
Format: Paperback
This is a book I loved as a child, because it was so bizarre and interesting and mysterious! I don't think the book is really meant to have a message---it's meant more just to be a strange and memorable tale! I love all the little details about Treehorn we find out---that he has 56 different favorite TV shows, what his cereal send-away collection consists of, etc! Even my 2 year old was enchanted by the pictures---he called a page with several odd dogs on it "monsters" and said "I like those scary monster dogs!" My 5 year old loved how the bus driver thought Treehorn was Treehorn's younger brother, also called Treehorn! Read it because it's fun and great to look at!
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful By Kim Velk on November 20, 2004
Format: Paperback
The big point here is about adult distractability. Treehorn is shrinking and his parents and teachers are mostly concerned with what this might mean to them, after they are forced to notice his condition. The subtlety of this may not register with little kids but they'll love the fun idea of a kid shrinking and having to cope and the drawings by Gorey are funny and wonderful. (If you are familiar with the opening titles on the PBS series Mystery you know Gorey). Intelligent little kids will love this book, which is a little more complex than things aimed at them these days. Intelligent adults will love reading it them. (The speech by the smarmy principal is classic.) Get this book and keep it. If you've read this review this far you are the right audience for it.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful By Amazon Customer on October 20, 2004
Format: Paperback
Treehorn's parents are so wrapped up in their own problems that they don't notice Treehorn is shrinking, Neither do any of the other adults. This speaks to the sad fact that many kids feel they are invisible to grown-ups. However, the book is lighthearted and fun, with terrific illustrations. One you will remember for a long time.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
By J Z. on December 28, 2009
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
We were thrilled to find this childhood book. My grown siblings and I had fond memories of reading it with my dad and bought it for him for Christmas. It is a hard to find book and we were surpised to find it in a new hardcover. Very intriguing pictures and story about poor Treehorn who myseriously begins shrinking. Our children range in age 1 to 13. The books is a lenghty picture book and seemed best suited for prek-2nd grade, although our 4th graders seemed to understand its humor best.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Edward Gorey is one of my favorite illustrators, and he did a great time with this book. Every child and every adult who remembers being a child will identify with Treehorn as he tries unsuccessfully to communicate his problem to his family, teacher, principal, and others.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback. If this review is inappropriate, please let us know.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more
The Shrinking of Treehorn
This item: The Shrinking of Treehorn
Price: $16.95
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com



Want to discover more products? Check out this page to see more: children's