The egg tree

The Egg Tree is a quiet, classic picture book built around a family memory. Katy and Carl arrive at their grandmother’s Pennsylvania farm for Easter, and during the egg hunt Katy ends up in the attic. The six painted eggs she discovers there become the center of the story. They are eggs Grandmom decorated as a child, and she turns them into an Easter tree that immediately captures the attention of all the cousins.

Milhous keeps the plot simple: a search, a discovery, and the start of a tradition. What carries the book is the atmosphere. The illustrations pull heavily from Pennsylvania Dutch folk art—soft blues, greens, oranges, and patterned borders that echo old decorative motifs like roosters, doves, stars, and pomegranates. The palette is muted but full of small, thoughtful details that reward a slow look.

The book won the 1951 Caldecott Medal, and it’s clear why. Milhous builds a world that feels rooted in real family customs, and the artwork does most of the storytelling. The scene of the decorated tree and the excitement it creates is the emotional center, and it never tries to be anything more dramatic than that. It’s a simple story, handled with clarity, tradition, and a steady visual voice.