Book Overview
Billy Bardin and the Witness Tree is the account of a boy's quest to save an important piece of Arlington, Texas, history and in the process convince his recently widowed grandfather how important he really is. The novel is based on the real efforts to save the Witness Tree in 1991. Billy Bardin's quest begins when K-Mart plans to develop a shopping center at the site of the five-hundred-year-old tree. As Billy studies the tree's history for a school assignment, his grandfather tells him about his career laying out roads and racetracks as a surveyor. Grandpa shows Billy his beautiful old brass transit, the instrument he used to survey land, and explains how the Witness Tree was the point from which all property in Arlington was measured. Billy's mother inadvertently gives the transit to a church rummage sale, and Billy sets off to recover it, save the tree, and restore Grandpa's dignity.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0875652832
ISBN13:9780875652832
Release Date:February 2004
Publisher:Texas Christian University Press
Length:146 Pages
Weight:0.55 lbs.
Dimensions:0.5" x 6.1" x 9.0"
Age Range:10 to 13 years
Grade Range:Grades 5 to 8
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Great Children's Book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
Billy Bardin is a story about a boy and his marginalized grandfather, how they get to know each other, some history, and work together to save one of the oldest trees in the state. Based on real events, "Billy" is a great read, regardless of where you are.
Save the Witness Tree!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
I really liked this book. The story is about a boy who takes on land developers and gets an historic oak tree moved, rather than cut down. It's based on actual events that happened in Arlington, Texas a few years back. It's an excellent book for the older child, probably 9 on up. My 11-year old grandson loved it. Ms. Penson has also written a wonderful book based on events in Arlington in the 1870s, You're an Orphan, Mollie Brown, with a heroine sure to appeal to today's adventurous girl.
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