Alan Zweibel is a comedic genius. A former writer for the original Saturday Night Live, he has won tons of Emmy awards for writing on various TV shows and comedy specials. He also happens to be a fantastic children’s book writer.

In his book Our Tree Named Steve, Zweibel writes a letter, as a father, to his three children. (The names of the children are actually the names of Zweibel’s children, making me wonder if this could be an autobiographical story.) He reminisces about the family tree—a tree they spared from being cut down when they built their house, which got its name from the youngest child dubbing it “Steve” when she couldn’t pronounce “tree.”

He recalls all of the amazing things the tree has provided the family with throughout the years, from shade to friendship, a swing to shelter; and leads to a very sad conclusion regarding the tree—yet, also, a new beginning for it as well. Though it’s a children’s book, the story will definitely bring a tear to your eye and make you think about renewal and its role in our lives and in nature.

Our Tree is also filled with some of the brightest, most lovely illustrations you’ll ever come across in a children’s book. I’ve never been familiar with David Catrow’s artwork, but now will have to make it a point to check it out. The paintings have an almost liquid feel, as if they’re still drying, and are bright and bold enough to garner interest without overwhelming—and yet the lines are soft enough to make it perfect for little ones following along. One of the best pieces, within the middle of the story, is when the children are growing up and getting crushes on the neighbor kids, and the dog is shown with a crush on the neighbor’s dog as well. It’s simply adorable.

We picked out Our Tree Named Steve because my daughter had named a tree Steve last year and thought it was a serendipitous selection. Little did we know how moving or memorable the story would be. It’s a lovely book about loss and rebirth, a father’s love of his children, and the support of a single tree through the years. I highly recommend this wonderful story for anyone wishing to teach about life’s tough moments as well as anyone who simply wants to read a memorable and unique story to their children.