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Based in part on The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! TV series (Episode 117) © CITH Productions, Inc. (a subsidiary of Portfolio Entertainment, Inc.), and Red Hat Animation, Ltd. (a subsidiary of Collingwood O’Hare Productions, Ltd.), 2010–2011.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rabe, Tish.
The tree doctor / by Tish Rabe; from a script by Bernice Vanderlaan; illustrated by Tom Brannon.
   p. cm. — (Step into reading. Step 2)
“Based in part on The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! TV series (Episode 117).”—
Copyright p.
ISBN 978-0-375-86957-0 (trade)
ISBN 978-0-375-96957-7 (lib. bdg.)
ISBN 978-0-375-98149-4 (ebook)
I. Vanderlaan, Bernice. II. Brannon, Tom. III. Cat in the hat knows a lot about that (Television program). IV. Title.
PZ8.3.R1145Tre 2013 [E]—dc23 2011048246

Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

v3.1

“Breakfast!” called Sally.

“The pancakes are hot!

Let’s find out how much

maple syrup we’ve got.”

“Trees give sap to make syrup,”

said Nick, “but this one

is so small, we can’t make

any syrup. No fun!”

“I smell pancakes!” the Cat cried.

“Oh, I hope I am right.

I love golden pancakes,

all fluffy and light,

with sweet maple syrup.

Oh, pour me some, please!

It’s my favorite thing

that we get from the trees.”

“We’ve got pancakes,” said Nick.

“But unfortunately,

no sap to make syrup

from our maple tree.”

“Not to worry!” the Cat said.

“Today I’ll take you

to meet the Tree Doctor.

He’ll know what to do.”

“Meet Dr. Twiggles!

He takes care of trees.

He swings through the branches

and hangs by his knees!”

“Hello,” said the doctor.

“Yes, it’s up to me

to respond to and treat

every tree-mergency!”

“Now, what brings you three

to the Wild Woolly Wood?”

“Our tree’s not growing,”

answered Nick, “as it should.”

“Little tree,” said the doctor,

“how are you feeling?

Are your twigs in a twist?

Has your bark started peeling?”

“Hmm . . . color’s nice and dark.

Stem is not bumpy.

Branches aren’t brittle.

Twigs are not lumpy.

But these leaves are drooping,

and that means, I’d say,

I should check your tree’s roots

and do so right away.”

“Check the roots?” Sally asked.

“How can you do that?”

“To the Thinga-ma-jigger!”

cried the Cat in the Hat.

“Flip the Thrilla-ma-driller

and we’ll see if it’s ill.

If you’ve never seen tree roots,

well, soon we all will!”

“Look at that,” said Nick.

“This really is neat.

The roots of a tree

are like a tree’s feet.”

“AbsoROOTly!” the Cat cried.

“I happen to know

roots soak up food and water

and help a tree grow.”

“I’ve got it!” the doc said.

“Now I see why

your tree isn’t growing.

The soil is too dry.”

“It needs water?” the Cat asked.

“I know what to do.

This is a job

for Thing One and Thing Two!”

Those two Things jumped out,

and they gave a big yank

to the crank on the side

of the Thinga-ma-tank.

But they turned it too far

and they turned it too fast.

Water shot out in a

soaking-wet blast!

“Good job!” said the doc.

“But our work is not done.

To get healthy, your tree

needs to get lots of sun.”

“I know!” cried the Cat.

“Your tree will feel right

when my Brighta-ma-lighter

gives it sunlight.”

“Now just wait,” said the doc.

“In forty years you can tap

your tree and make syrup

from the maple tree sap.”

“Forty years!” said Nick.

“When our tree is that old,

our stack of pancakes

will REALLY be cold!”

“No problem!” said the doc.

“For I have right here

some syrup I made

in the spring of last year.

And I have something else—

a bag of maple keys,

full of maple tree seeds

to grow even more trees.”

Back home, Nick said,

“This syrup is good

and I had lots of fun

in the Wild Woolly Wood.”

“Eat up!” said the Cat.

“Then I need your help, please.

After breakfast let’s go

and plant . . .

“. . . more maple trees!”