TIRE MOUNTAIN

Aaron’s dad owns a tire-service shop next door to their house. To Aaron, the odors emanating from the shop are the ambient aromas of home, but his mother complains and wants to move, “someplace clean and beautiful.” Aaron, though, loves to play on his ever-growing mountain of tires on which, come evening, he and his dad perch. As his mother begins looking for a new house, Aaron grows increasingly distraught and tensions rise at home. Meanwhile, a couple of bullies are cruising the blocks, making Aaron uneasy. Then he notices the tree on a patch of grass across the street—perfect for a tire swing. Soon he adds a tire tunnel and creates a tire garden from which flowers burst. Mom still wants to move, but with the new neighborhood gathering place of recycled tires, urgency and tension have eased. This text-heavy and multifaceted story is somewhat fraught with anxiety and will exclude the younger picture-book set, but the depth of emotion will attract early readers. The detailed illustrations are realistically depictive of the city and done in subtle chalky hues. (Picture book. 5-9)