TOPSFIELD | The Topsfield Town Library holds readings for young children every Tuesday afternoon, but as Arbor Day quickly approached late last month, the library decided to give a recent Tuesday reading a green feel.

About 20 tots sat on the carpeted floor of the library's meeting room, intently listening to children's librarian Jane Johnson share three tales about trees. She read "Our Tree Named Steve" by Alan Zweibel, "A Tree for Me" by Nancy Van Laan and "A Tree is Nice" by Janice Udry.

The final lines of Udry's book seemed to sum up the entire Arbor Day festivities.

"And you say to people, 'I planted that tree,'" Johnson read.

After the Tuesday afternoon reading, the youngsters and their mothers and grandmothers were greeted outside on the library lawn by Steve and Maryann Shepard, who brought dozens of fledgling balsam firs for the children to take home and plant.

Steve Shepard is the superintedent of the Parks and Cemeteries Department in Topsfield and runs a small farm in Byfield with his wife. When their farm began to see a small profit, they said, they wanted to give back to the community.

"The Parks and Cemeteries Department supported it, but we sponsored this on our own," he said, adding that they hope to do more events like this in the future.

The Shepards said the children were well-informed, attentive, and enthusiastic. The couple taught the children about the roots of trees, how to count growth rings to determine a tree's age, and what important things trees give human beings.

"It's time to just take a different approach to the world, our environment and our community," Steve Shepard said about the importance of Arbor Day. "Without the environment, we wouldn't be here."

Johnson was pleased that the children had a chance to learn about the importance of trees while also having a good time.

"I wanted to commemorate Arbor Day," she said, "and raise awareness about the environment and the part that trees play in it."

Many of the children in attendance were eager to share what they had found out that day.

"I learned that trees give us shade," said Brendan Jellow, who turned 6 on Arbor Day. "And I read up in my book that trees give us clear air by taking the bad air and giving you back the good oxygen."

Holding their freshly potted six-inch baby trees carefully with both hands, Katie Jellow, 4, and Jason Murley, 5, explained where they'd plant their new trees.

"I'm going to give it to Mommy," Katie said.

"I'm going to plant it outside for my dad and my mom and my brother," Jason said. "And I'm going to plant it far away from my house."