How to Grow a Family Tree

Written by Bea Birdsong and Illustrated by Jasu Hu

All week long, Emmylou’s classmates stand up and share their family trees. Their trees are full of branches, with stories for every face and name. Emmylou’s tree looks almost empty. There’s her, Mama, and the names Mama won’t say—the stories she keeps tucked away.

By Friday, Emmylou wishes the project would just end. Thinking about her family tree makes her feel small. She only has one family recipe—the one she trades with Mrs. Patel for mango chutney. She doesn’t have aunts or cousins, just Rosa next door, who watches her after school. She doesn’t have siblings, only Rosa’s baby twins, who giggle when she plays peek‑a‑boo. She doesn’t have a zayde like Eli, who teaches him to ride a bike—just Mr. Li, who never complains when she accidentally rolls over his foot.

But then Emmylou realizes something important. Her family isn’t small at all. She just needed to look around to see it.