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The Angel Tree
A heartwarming Christmas mystery and friendship story!
Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square--the Angel Tree. Some people tie wishes to the tree, while others make those wishes come true. Nobody's ever known where the tree comes from, but the mystery has always been part of the tradition's charm.
This year, however, four kids who have been helped--Lucy, Joe, Max, and Cami--are determined to solve the mystery and find out the true identity of the town's guardian angel, so that Pine River can finally thank the person who brought the Angel Tree to their town.
This is a heartwarming Christmas mystery, full of friendship, discovery, and loads of holiday cheer!
Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square--the Angel Tree. Some people tie wishes to the tree, while others make those wishes come true. Nobody's ever known where the tree comes from, but the mystery has always been part of the tradition's charm.
This year, however, four kids who have been helped--Lucy, Joe, Max, and Cami--are determined to solve the mystery and find out the true identity of the town's guardian angel, so that Pine River can finally thank the person who brought the Angel Tree to their town.
This is a heartwarming Christmas mystery, full of friendship, discovery, and loads of holiday cheer!
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2014
76 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Daphne Benedis-Grab
13 books99 followersDaphne Benedis-Grab is the author of four middle grade books and two books for teens. She lives and writes in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
November 21, 2014
The is the perfect book for getting into the spirit of Christmas. It is no surprise that it was the number one selling book at the fall book fair at my school last week. The four main characters, Lucy, Cami, Max and Joe were each unique and any middle graders could relate to at least one of them. A book to read over and over year after year!
December 9, 2025
"And so... each year the Angel Tree appeared, wishes were made and granted, and the town of Pine River had just a bit more to celebrate when Christmas arrived.
Until the year when everything changed."
✏️ Review ✏️
Highlighting themes of friendship, hope, community, and gratitude, The Angel Tree features a cheery, small-town Christmas story. I enjoyed reading most of this story despite it leaning more on the average side for me.
Although I don't have much to say about The Angel Tree in general, one thing I must mention: the characters are superficially presented for the most part. And so I never felt more than a surface level connection to the MCs. This can be attributed to both the multi-POV and the rather simplistic writing style; the former doesn't allow much time for on-page individual character growth, and the latter excludes greater emotional and internal character construction. This lack of character depth is one of the main reasons as to why I didn't enjoy this story as much as I could have.
Even though it isn't the best Christmas story I've read, The Angel Tree still provides a touching small-town Christmas tale that I'm glad to have read.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• A good part of the plot — it's enjoyable and features quaint small-town Christmas vibes.
• The themes of friendship, community, and gratitude.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The lack of developmental and emotional depth in the MCs.
• The more simplistic nature of the writing style — inhibited deeper emotions from being present in the characters and the story as a whole (I thought the Prologue featured the best writing style).
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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*
— To whom? To those who enjoy contemporary Christmas stories that feature themes of friendship, gratitude, and community but don't feature the best character depth or development.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 2.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 0/5
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 1/5
• One of the MCs plays a joke in a class that, although mild, is connected with mature topics and could potentially be inappropriate for younger readers.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• (None)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
Until the year when everything changed."
✏️ Review ✏️
Highlighting themes of friendship, hope, community, and gratitude, The Angel Tree features a cheery, small-town Christmas story. I enjoyed reading most of this story despite it leaning more on the average side for me.
Although I don't have much to say about The Angel Tree in general, one thing I must mention: the characters are superficially presented for the most part. And so I never felt more than a surface level connection to the MCs. This can be attributed to both the multi-POV and the rather simplistic writing style; the former doesn't allow much time for on-page individual character growth, and the latter excludes greater emotional and internal character construction. This lack of character depth is one of the main reasons as to why I didn't enjoy this story as much as I could have.
Even though it isn't the best Christmas story I've read, The Angel Tree still provides a touching small-town Christmas tale that I'm glad to have read.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• A good part of the plot — it's enjoyable and features quaint small-town Christmas vibes.
• The themes of friendship, community, and gratitude.
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The lack of developmental and emotional depth in the MCs.
• The more simplistic nature of the writing style — inhibited deeper emotions from being present in the characters and the story as a whole (I thought the Prologue featured the best writing style).
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*
— To whom? To those who enjoy contemporary Christmas stories that feature themes of friendship, gratitude, and community but don't feature the best character depth or development.
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 2.5/5
— 👥 Characters: 2.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 0/5
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 1/5
• One of the MCs plays a joke in a class that, although mild, is connected with mature topics and could potentially be inappropriate for younger readers.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• (None)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
November 26, 2014
Angel Tree is a lovely Christmas-y read. I think it is a good, balanced blend of bitter and sweet. I'll explain more of what I mean in a bit.
Pine River. Angel Tree is set in a small, cozy community called Pine River. Every December, a large community tree goes up. No one knows--at least officially--who is responsible for putting up the tree. But by the time this novel opens, the "angel tree" is legendary. (It has had a decade or two to get that status.) What makes this tree special or legendary is the fact that EVERYONE is welcome to write down their wishes and put them on the tree. Supposedly, in all the decades, the wishes have always come true. The whole community provides for its own, in a way. It gives every person an opportunity or two to be kind and generous.
Angel Tree introduces readers to a community, and it does so through several narrators/protagonists. One is named Lucy. She's blind. She's adopted (from China). Her guide-dog is dying of cancer. Her wish for the tree: medical treatment for her dog. One is named Joe. He's new to town. He's living in a small apartment with his uncle, I believe. His mom is a soldier stationed overseas. His wish for the tree: to spend Christmas with his mom. One is named Max. His house just burned down. His wish for the tree? A new house. The last is named Cami. She has a gift for bringing people together. And a musical gift as well. I honestly can't remember her wish for the tree since her wish isn't nearly as dramatic as the others.
So before the novel starts, these four young people aren't exactly close friends. I believe they are all in the same grade, and some have classes together. I think Cami and Max might have already been friends perhaps. Most of the book is about making friends, being friends, working together, thinking of others. One thing that all the kids seem to have in common--especially Max, Joe, and Lucy--is poverty.
Cami, I believe, decides that someone NEEDS to find out who is responsible for the Angel Tree. The person deserves recognition and honor. She knows she can't do it by herself, at least not in time to honor her THIS Christmas, so she involves other people. Can four kids working together solve the mystery?
The story is sweet in that it brings people together; friendships are formed; strong connections are made. In that way, it is an affirming read. The story is not perfectly sweet in that life is never made perfect. Even with all wishes fulfilled, life can never be perfect, stay perfect. For example, even if Joe gets his wish to spend Christmas day with his mom, she'll still have to go back. He'll go back to worrying about her when she does.
Pine River. Angel Tree is set in a small, cozy community called Pine River. Every December, a large community tree goes up. No one knows--at least officially--who is responsible for putting up the tree. But by the time this novel opens, the "angel tree" is legendary. (It has had a decade or two to get that status.) What makes this tree special or legendary is the fact that EVERYONE is welcome to write down their wishes and put them on the tree. Supposedly, in all the decades, the wishes have always come true. The whole community provides for its own, in a way. It gives every person an opportunity or two to be kind and generous.
Angel Tree introduces readers to a community, and it does so through several narrators/protagonists. One is named Lucy. She's blind. She's adopted (from China). Her guide-dog is dying of cancer. Her wish for the tree: medical treatment for her dog. One is named Joe. He's new to town. He's living in a small apartment with his uncle, I believe. His mom is a soldier stationed overseas. His wish for the tree: to spend Christmas with his mom. One is named Max. His house just burned down. His wish for the tree? A new house. The last is named Cami. She has a gift for bringing people together. And a musical gift as well. I honestly can't remember her wish for the tree since her wish isn't nearly as dramatic as the others.
So before the novel starts, these four young people aren't exactly close friends. I believe they are all in the same grade, and some have classes together. I think Cami and Max might have already been friends perhaps. Most of the book is about making friends, being friends, working together, thinking of others. One thing that all the kids seem to have in common--especially Max, Joe, and Lucy--is poverty.
Cami, I believe, decides that someone NEEDS to find out who is responsible for the Angel Tree. The person deserves recognition and honor. She knows she can't do it by herself, at least not in time to honor her THIS Christmas, so she involves other people. Can four kids working together solve the mystery?
The story is sweet in that it brings people together; friendships are formed; strong connections are made. In that way, it is an affirming read. The story is not perfectly sweet in that life is never made perfect. Even with all wishes fulfilled, life can never be perfect, stay perfect. For example, even if Joe gets his wish to spend Christmas day with his mom, she'll still have to go back. He'll go back to worrying about her when she does.
October 31, 2014
5 STARS
I enjoyed this story. It is a true Christmas story, a mystery, community helping each other and fun to read. I like the characters, the setting and it is a touching story.
Every Christmas a big tree is put up on the town square. No one knows who is behind the tree. They call it the Angel Tree. The children or people who have a need or a Christmas wish write it down on paper and put it on the tree. Others see the wishes that they could give or help take it down. Some are simple others seem so big as impossible to receive their wish.
One boy wrote that he wanted to find a recipe his grandma talks about from Russia. One boy who's home burnt down a few weeks ago wishes for a house. A blind little girl who's seeing eye dog has cancer and her family can't afford treatment for him wishes for her dog to get well.
Four Children decide that they want to find out who is behind the Angel tree and give them a Christmas gift. They are determined to find out and find clues.
Lives are changed for the better. Lots of people are giving and receiving. It makes you think what can I do? What would I wish for?
The miracles don't wait for Christmas Eve but are answered when they can. This is a story that is uplifting.
I was given this ebook to read and in return I agreed to give honest review of it. Net Galley and Scholastic gave me this ebook.
I enjoyed this story. It is a true Christmas story, a mystery, community helping each other and fun to read. I like the characters, the setting and it is a touching story.
Every Christmas a big tree is put up on the town square. No one knows who is behind the tree. They call it the Angel Tree. The children or people who have a need or a Christmas wish write it down on paper and put it on the tree. Others see the wishes that they could give or help take it down. Some are simple others seem so big as impossible to receive their wish.
One boy wrote that he wanted to find a recipe his grandma talks about from Russia. One boy who's home burnt down a few weeks ago wishes for a house. A blind little girl who's seeing eye dog has cancer and her family can't afford treatment for him wishes for her dog to get well.
Four Children decide that they want to find out who is behind the Angel tree and give them a Christmas gift. They are determined to find out and find clues.
Lives are changed for the better. Lots of people are giving and receiving. It makes you think what can I do? What would I wish for?
The miracles don't wait for Christmas Eve but are answered when they can. This is a story that is uplifting.
I was given this ebook to read and in return I agreed to give honest review of it. Net Galley and Scholastic gave me this ebook.
December 25, 2023
One of the best books to read before Christmas! I love the way the story develops about the search for a mystery person who puts up a tree every Christmas and makes wishes that are tied there come true. As they search, a small group of middle schoolers find new friendships and empathy for others. This is also one of the rare books to feature a blind child as a protagonist.
December 16, 2020
I loved this book. And for me, that's saying a lot. Nah, I'm kidding, I like books easily. But this was lighthearted~ sweet~ and honestly, a very cute Christmas story.
I definitely appreciated the Star Wars references~ (don't judge me but I've only watched the movies~ horrible I know~)
Also appreciated the Harry Potter love in here too~ its beautiful💙
I loved the mystery in this book~ and I took an educated guess about who the mystery person was~ and I was right~ nice!
But I recommend reading it. I've never been a good stand alone book reader. I've always preferred the long series but it was a really good book.
Happy reading!!
I definitely appreciated the Star Wars references~ (don't judge me but I've only watched the movies~ horrible I know~)
Also appreciated the Harry Potter love in here too~ its beautiful💙
I loved the mystery in this book~ and I took an educated guess about who the mystery person was~ and I was right~ nice!
But I recommend reading it. I've never been a good stand alone book reader. I've always preferred the long series but it was a really good book.
Happy reading!!
November 23, 2014
The Angel Tree is like a Hallmark Channel Movie. You know it's going to be kind of cheesy, but you stick with it anyway and feel glad that you did.
The Angel Tree follows four students, who are only loosely tied together at the beginning. Max, the class-clown, lost his house recently to a fire. Joe, the brooding outcast, is the new kid in town. Lucy is blind and about to lose her beloved seeing eye dog Valentine. Cami is a budding violin virtuoso who feels like she is a disappointment to her grandmother and thus gives up the one thing she loves. All four students place a wish, a simple handwritten note, on The Angel Tree. Once on the tree the townspeople rally together to fulfill the wishes of both young and old.
Once their wishes are granted, the four set out to discover who the Great Benefactor is, so that they can thank her. After many twists and turns they discover friendship and that you don't have to be rich and powerful to do great things!
I enjoyed this book. Was it a bit cheesy? Yes. Was it sappy? Totally. There is nothing wrong with that.
The Angel Tree follows four students, who are only loosely tied together at the beginning. Max, the class-clown, lost his house recently to a fire. Joe, the brooding outcast, is the new kid in town. Lucy is blind and about to lose her beloved seeing eye dog Valentine. Cami is a budding violin virtuoso who feels like she is a disappointment to her grandmother and thus gives up the one thing she loves. All four students place a wish, a simple handwritten note, on The Angel Tree. Once on the tree the townspeople rally together to fulfill the wishes of both young and old.
Once their wishes are granted, the four set out to discover who the Great Benefactor is, so that they can thank her. After many twists and turns they discover friendship and that you don't have to be rich and powerful to do great things!
I enjoyed this book. Was it a bit cheesy? Yes. Was it sappy? Totally. There is nothing wrong with that.
March 10, 2015
Lucy, Jack, Max, and Cami all have big wishes riding on the Angel Tree this year and decide they want to thank the person who started the Angel Tree tradition. So they team up and set out to look for clues in order to throw a big party for this special someone.
I gave this book five stars because it really tells you the kinds of different people there are in the world. Everyone has a flaw and all these kids have one to, even though they are in a story, it doesn't mean their problems aren't real and living in our world right now. I would recommend this book to people who like action and mystery fiction books.
I gave this book five stars because it really tells you the kinds of different people there are in the world. Everyone has a flaw and all these kids have one to, even though they are in a story, it doesn't mean their problems aren't real and living in our world right now. I would recommend this book to people who like action and mystery fiction books.
March 20, 2015
The Angel Tree
Pine River, and every year a tree appears and everybody posts their wishes on the branches. This year the kids are determined to find out who puts the tree in the town square.
Valerie wants her seeing eye dog to have surgery, another boy wants a new house for his family. Angels take one of the tied wishes and make the dream come true but this year is different...3 kids combine their talents to figure out who the angel is that makes it all happen. They just want to give them recognition.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Pine River, and every year a tree appears and everybody posts their wishes on the branches. This year the kids are determined to find out who puts the tree in the town square.
Valerie wants her seeing eye dog to have surgery, another boy wants a new house for his family. Angels take one of the tied wishes and make the dream come true but this year is different...3 kids combine their talents to figure out who the angel is that makes it all happen. They just want to give them recognition.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
January 1, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of the Hallmark Christmas movies that I enjoy every year.
November 29, 2017
So cute!
December 12, 2022
I love this book and it is one of my favorite Christmas books.
Read
March 10, 2023During this quarter I read, ‘’The Angel Tree’’. This book is about multiple children’ stories specifically around Christmas time, and how they relate and work together. There is an angel tree in the center of the city, and the person who puts the Angel Tree there each year, is in charge of all the kids’ wishes and presents. The kids are on a quest to find out who the mysterious person is, during this Holiday spirited book.
One important aspect in this book that I noticed is the author’s ability to tell us a lot without overdoing it. What I mean by that is, we learned about several different kids who made up the majority of the characters, and by just knowing the little background information of their wishes, we could tell a lot about them. The plot was essentially to talk about all these unfortunate scenarios these kids are in, then express their gratitude for that to change in their life. Finally, they are determined to find who is in charge of the Angel Tree. For instance, Max is a kid who is a class clown, he also lost his dad in a fire. From this little information the author tells about Max, we can possibly infer that he tries to be funny to deal with the pain of his fathers’ death. I think the author touches on these descriptions, causing better inferences for the audience.
The author surprisingly had several impactful quotes in such a simple book. One quote I think defines one of the messages is,’’It was all of us, Lucy said quickly. But Ms. Marwich detected a sparkle of pride in Lucy’s face that had not been there before.’’ The context of this is when the group of kids figured out what Ms Marwich was doing, and how she was fulfilling the town with happiness. Lucy is the main leader of the group and the one that leads the charge of finding the one associated with the Angel Tree. But, when she is given credit for doing so, she takes that moment to say we all did it, even if she did more than the others.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, as it brought me back to Christmas time. With the whole Angel Tree aspect and the kids trying to find out a town mystery, it was entertaining for almost any age. I haven’t read many books like this one, but I would say it is in the same boat as other holiday-themed books; especially Christmas ones. However, it sort of reminded me of a movie I watched a very long time ago called ‘’Christmas Oranges’’. It had the same vibe as it was about a girl who received oranges for Christmas every year, and after she is evicted from her orphanage that’s one of the only things she looks forward to. So, it has some relation to this book. For ‘’The Angel Tree’’ I would give it a 4/5 stars, as it was enjoyable and pretty easy to read. The reason it isn’t a 5 is because the reading difficulty wasn’t very challenging for me. But, sometimes I think it is acceptable to read these types of books.
One important aspect in this book that I noticed is the author’s ability to tell us a lot without overdoing it. What I mean by that is, we learned about several different kids who made up the majority of the characters, and by just knowing the little background information of their wishes, we could tell a lot about them. The plot was essentially to talk about all these unfortunate scenarios these kids are in, then express their gratitude for that to change in their life. Finally, they are determined to find who is in charge of the Angel Tree. For instance, Max is a kid who is a class clown, he also lost his dad in a fire. From this little information the author tells about Max, we can possibly infer that he tries to be funny to deal with the pain of his fathers’ death. I think the author touches on these descriptions, causing better inferences for the audience.
The author surprisingly had several impactful quotes in such a simple book. One quote I think defines one of the messages is,’’It was all of us, Lucy said quickly. But Ms. Marwich detected a sparkle of pride in Lucy’s face that had not been there before.’’ The context of this is when the group of kids figured out what Ms Marwich was doing, and how she was fulfilling the town with happiness. Lucy is the main leader of the group and the one that leads the charge of finding the one associated with the Angel Tree. But, when she is given credit for doing so, she takes that moment to say we all did it, even if she did more than the others.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, as it brought me back to Christmas time. With the whole Angel Tree aspect and the kids trying to find out a town mystery, it was entertaining for almost any age. I haven’t read many books like this one, but I would say it is in the same boat as other holiday-themed books; especially Christmas ones. However, it sort of reminded me of a movie I watched a very long time ago called ‘’Christmas Oranges’’. It had the same vibe as it was about a girl who received oranges for Christmas every year, and after she is evicted from her orphanage that’s one of the only things she looks forward to. So, it has some relation to this book. For ‘’The Angel Tree’’ I would give it a 4/5 stars, as it was enjoyable and pretty easy to read. The reason it isn’t a 5 is because the reading difficulty wasn’t very challenging for me. But, sometimes I think it is acceptable to read these types of books.
January 27, 2020
I saw this book on the fiction shelf in the children's section of the local public library a couple of weeks after Christmas. Since I love to read holiday fiction and non-fiction year round, I grabbed it, checked it out, and took it home.
This is a heartwarming story about four diverse middle-schoolers who make it a common goal to discover who the beneficent organizer and underwriter of the town's Angel Tree and annual charitable holiday acts is. The person's identity has been a mystery for over three decades, and these children want to do something wonderful to celebrate this person's generosity.
The group of four--five if you count Lucy's guide dog, Valentine, who is helpful in discovering some important clues--is made up of Cami, an talented African-American musician who is being raised by her grandmother because she is an orphan; Lucy, a blind Chinese girl adopted by her American parents when she was a baby; Valentine, Lucy's guide dog that is facing a serious health challenge of her own; Joe, the new kid in town who has a bad attitude and a secret; and Max, the class clown who has some serious family problems on his plate. Of note, Joe and Max are living in poverty due to familial circumstances; their relationship did not get off to a good start when Joe came to town.
Despite their differences, under the leadership of Cami the four of them work through their issues with each other and pull together to solve the mystery of the Angel Tree.
The story includes several instances where each character is facing an individual challenge. This was one of the things I liked the most about this book -- it wasn't a fairy tale with a happily ever after ending. The main characters dealt with realistic problems and obstacles on the pathway of life in order to improve their lives and the lives of their family members and the community. The group's dynamics were also believable and enjoyable.
Oh, did I mention the cover? The magical Christmas tree with the silhouetted main characters on the cover perfectly portrays the inner beauty revealed throughout this story.
I look forward to reading more of this author's work in the future.
Highly-recommended as a family, classroom, and youth group/church group read-aloud book.
**This book is completely clean in language and content. :0}
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This is a heartwarming story about four diverse middle-schoolers who make it a common goal to discover who the beneficent organizer and underwriter of the town's Angel Tree and annual charitable holiday acts is. The person's identity has been a mystery for over three decades, and these children want to do something wonderful to celebrate this person's generosity.
The group of four--five if you count Lucy's guide dog, Valentine, who is helpful in discovering some important clues--is made up of Cami, an talented African-American musician who is being raised by her grandmother because she is an orphan; Lucy, a blind Chinese girl adopted by her American parents when she was a baby; Valentine, Lucy's guide dog that is facing a serious health challenge of her own; Joe, the new kid in town who has a bad attitude and a secret; and Max, the class clown who has some serious family problems on his plate. Of note, Joe and Max are living in poverty due to familial circumstances; their relationship did not get off to a good start when Joe came to town.
Despite their differences, under the leadership of Cami the four of them work through their issues with each other and pull together to solve the mystery of the Angel Tree.
The story includes several instances where each character is facing an individual challenge. This was one of the things I liked the most about this book -- it wasn't a fairy tale with a happily ever after ending. The main characters dealt with realistic problems and obstacles on the pathway of life in order to improve their lives and the lives of their family members and the community. The group's dynamics were also believable and enjoyable.
Oh, did I mention the cover? The magical Christmas tree with the silhouetted main characters on the cover perfectly portrays the inner beauty revealed throughout this story.
I look forward to reading more of this author's work in the future.
Highly-recommended as a family, classroom, and youth group/church group read-aloud book.
**This book is completely clean in language and content. :0}
######################
December 24, 2018
My 9 year old son read this and passed it on to me. He adored it so I had to give it a read. It’s a very sweet book. Focused on giving and putting others first. Love that the kids in the story are experiencing “real” hardships. Great book for kids at Christmas.
December 9, 2018
Young adult book that I took out of the library. It was very good. Great story, good strong characters. It was pretty awesome. 240 pages, but went really quick.
December 7, 2025
Only like the best book ever😂
I don’t want to give spoilers but Lucy the blind girl is my favorite!!
Oh, my group, if you’re reading this review, this is the one we’re gonna read for Bookclup📚😊
I don’t want to give spoilers but Lucy the blind girl is my favorite!!
Oh, my group, if you’re reading this review, this is the one we’re gonna read for Bookclup📚😊
December 23, 2019
Probably the book I gravitate towards most during Christmas. Three stars for the sake of objectivity, but five for nostalgia and literal shivers while reading. Absolutely captivating and heart-warming.
November 29, 2020
What an adorable middle grade read with a nice message. It’s a perfect Christmas read. I loved how Max, Lucy, Cami and Joe’s friendship evolved.
July 13, 2015
This is a good book for the pre-teen set; I know I would have loved it in grade school, especially around the holidays. A small town has an uplifting and mysterious tradition. Each year, a tall tree goes up in the middle of town. It is decorated, and residents who have a need are encouraged to attach notes naming their desire to its branches. Through the month of December, the wishes are granted by an unknown benefactor. Four children come together to try to find who the mysterious Angel is. Each of the children face their own issues. Lucy, who is blind, is worried about her seeing eye dog. Cami struggles with comparing herself to her more popular cousin. Max covers his insecurities by being the class clown. Joe, the newcomer, wrestles with adjusting to a new town and a new life. The four find friendship and closeness as they try to investigate the Angel, so they can throw a thank-you celebration for the benefactor's generosity. The book provides a nice lesson about not taking things at face value, and the benefits of giving. As I said, I think grade-schoolers will enjoy this. My only qualms- and these are minor - is that one, I thought the wishes of the children were resolved a bit too quickly; I know a part of that is to give more time in solving the mystery (which was well done).
The second thing involves a bit of a spoiler...
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I honestly thought the book was going in a certain direction as to whom the Angel was- that it was all of the town's adults, or at least several people. That would have made the most sense to me, rather than having the bulk of the work be done by one individual. Personally, I thought having multiple people involved not only would have been more realistic, it would have allowed the children to transition as "helpers" for the tradition.
These are minor points, however- this is, all in all, a great holiday story for children.
The second thing involves a bit of a spoiler...
.
.
.
I honestly thought the book was going in a certain direction as to whom the Angel was- that it was all of the town's adults, or at least several people. That would have made the most sense to me, rather than having the bulk of the work be done by one individual. Personally, I thought having multiple people involved not only would have been more realistic, it would have allowed the children to transition as "helpers" for the tradition.
These are minor points, however- this is, all in all, a great holiday story for children.
January 11, 2018
The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab is a book about four friends that are trying to figure out who is the person behind all the miraculous gifts from the Angel Tree. Lucy, Joe, Max and Cami become best friends as they work together to uncover this mystery. Along the way, they experienced challenges as well as amazing discoveries. They really wanted to find this out who was behind these special gifts so they could thank them. Joe was able to see his mom who had been overseas in the military, Lucy’s seeing eye dog, Valentine, received treatment to remove her tumor. Max and his family’s home was destroyed by an electrical fire and they received a new home, and Cami sold her precious violin in an effort to buy her grandmother a gift and her grandmother’s gift to her was in-turn the violin that she sold. Each a miracle in its own way.
The Angel Tree is one of the best books I have read and I love the holiday theme to it! The author used different writing skill to make the book more interesting to read. Also, I enjoy the adventures they go on to find out who is behind the tree. The author used such vivid detail, I feel as if i am in the book myself, with them too!
I recommend this book to people ages 12-14 and grades 6-8 because they would like it the best of all ages, and they can relate to it better than older or younger people. Although, anyone who like a book with tons of holiday cheer, this is for you!
The Angel Tree is one of the best books I have read and I love the holiday theme to it! The author used different writing skill to make the book more interesting to read. Also, I enjoy the adventures they go on to find out who is behind the tree. The author used such vivid detail, I feel as if i am in the book myself, with them too!
I recommend this book to people ages 12-14 and grades 6-8 because they would like it the best of all ages, and they can relate to it better than older or younger people. Although, anyone who like a book with tons of holiday cheer, this is for you!
January 5, 2018
What a joy this book was for me. It is a great Christmas story about the purpose of community. It is a juvenile book so things are tied up with a nice "bow" at the end. It was very well written and exactly the kind of great Christmas reading I hope my kids will enjoy. It can be hard to find books with a good message and this one accomplishes that. I won't synopsis the book as several other reviewers have, but I will say it was a pleasant read. The characters took a nice journey, each of their own related to their area of trouble. You got to know the characters enough that you felt for each of their plights.
If you are looking for a great Christmas read, or any time of year for a feel good story, please pick up this book. I hope my kids will be reading it as they head into this level of reading in the future. And the ending....it must have been the time of year, but we will say that tears were shed. Try this one!
If you are looking for a great Christmas read, or any time of year for a feel good story, please pick up this book. I hope my kids will be reading it as they head into this level of reading in the future. And the ending....it must have been the time of year, but we will say that tears were shed. Try this one!
January 7, 2018
Each year the Angel Tree brought great joy to the little town, felt by those who received much-needed help and those who could experience the singular pleasure of giving that help.
Four friends, grateful for the special gifts the Angel Tree has given each of them, set out to find the person behind this annual event and thank him or her. The story is heartwarming and the characters are all wonderful. Readers are able to solve the mystery of the "Great Benefactor" along with the characters. The Angel Tree is the perfect Christmas story for readers of all ages.
Four friends, grateful for the special gifts the Angel Tree has given each of them, set out to find the person behind this annual event and thank him or her. The story is heartwarming and the characters are all wonderful. Readers are able to solve the mystery of the "Great Benefactor" along with the characters. The Angel Tree is the perfect Christmas story for readers of all ages.
May 27, 2017
A lovely story for kids about a town tradition of granting wishes at Christmastime. It's a feel good book that challenges the characters and the young readers notions of first impressions and giving people a chance to get to in know you (and you them). It also conveys themes about being yourself and altruism that are heartwarming and not just because of the holiday setting. If you have a child that's 7-10 they would enjoy this one.
December 5, 2017
I love this book, and it has been a tradition in my family to read a champter of it every day until Christmas. This book sends messages of hope and love. I could not say enough wonderful things about this heartwarming story, and it is a special book to read with family during the holiday season. The Angel Tree is an amazing book, and everyone should try to read it.
January 8, 2018
We enjoy this book as a family each year. It's a grand reminder of the reason for the Christmas season and how small acts of kindness can result in great gifts. The child characters are easy to relate to and understand. The reader has immediate empathy for their struggles and relief and elation their determination, cooperation and hard work end in Christmas magic.
December 13, 2014
I wish there was a more descriptive narrative but the story was pretty good. Really weird and sometimes didn't make sense at all but it was good. It's basically a Hallmark movie stuck in a middle grade book.
October 23, 2017
The book was amazing. I especially liked how the kids wanted to find the person behind the tree, and how the most unexpected person discovered it. This story showed compassion and friendship, especially to the people who you don't think deserve it.
March 16, 2017
I enjoyed this book, it was a very heartwarming story and definitely a book to read once a year
March 1, 2025
The Angel Tree by Daphne Benedis-Grab is like that one perfect holiday movie where you know exactly where it’s going, but you’re still crying by the end—only this time, you get to read it instead of watching it. The story follows three kids—Avery, Claire, and Ben—who find a letter tied to an "Angel Tree" at a Christmas tree lot, and decide to band together to fulfill an old holiday wish. It’s like a mashup of heartfelt, tear-jerking moments with a little Christmas magic thrown in. The themes of kindness, redemption, and the true spirit of the holidays are front and center, but it never feels like you’re getting lectured—just wrapped up in warm, fuzzy Christmas vibes.
The characters are absolutely the best part. Avery’s struggling with family dynamics, Claire’s all about skepticism (same, girl), and Ben is trying to hold it all together, and somehow, you end up rooting for them all as they figure out how to help a stranger and, in the process, help themselves. It’s one of those books where you feel like you’re in the middle of a holiday movie, with just enough family drama to make you laugh and just enough heartache to make you think about calling your own family (even if it’s just to yell at them for never putting up enough Christmas lights). Benedis-Grab nails the balance between humor and real emotional depth, making sure that you’re not only invested in the story but also in these characters’ personal growth.
It’s not the most mind-blowing holiday plot—it’s pretty predictable in the best way possible. We all know the big holiday reveals are coming, but that’s part of the charm. It’s like your favorite Christmas playlist: a few songs you’ve heard a million times, but still sing along to every year. Four and a half stars out of five—because while it’s delightful, sweet, and full of Christmas magic, it occasionally dips into a bit of too much heartstring-pulling, and let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. But hey, if you want a story that makes you believe in the magic of Christmas (and in people being generally decent), this is your holiday jam.
The characters are absolutely the best part. Avery’s struggling with family dynamics, Claire’s all about skepticism (same, girl), and Ben is trying to hold it all together, and somehow, you end up rooting for them all as they figure out how to help a stranger and, in the process, help themselves. It’s one of those books where you feel like you’re in the middle of a holiday movie, with just enough family drama to make you laugh and just enough heartache to make you think about calling your own family (even if it’s just to yell at them for never putting up enough Christmas lights). Benedis-Grab nails the balance between humor and real emotional depth, making sure that you’re not only invested in the story but also in these characters’ personal growth.
It’s not the most mind-blowing holiday plot—it’s pretty predictable in the best way possible. We all know the big holiday reveals are coming, but that’s part of the charm. It’s like your favorite Christmas playlist: a few songs you’ve heard a million times, but still sing along to every year. Four and a half stars out of five—because while it’s delightful, sweet, and full of Christmas magic, it occasionally dips into a bit of too much heartstring-pulling, and let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. But hey, if you want a story that makes you believe in the magic of Christmas (and in people being generally decent), this is your holiday jam.
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