Turtle and Snake and the Christmas Tree

Viking Easy-to-Read

by Kate Spohn

Turtle and Snake are ready to decorate a Christmas tree but they first need to find the perfect tree, and after searching high and low, they find just the right one in their own yard. Simultaneous.

Genres: Christmas

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 15, 2000

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's short; it's simple. Beginning readers will enjoy this holiday tale.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a hoot. Turtle and Snake take an excursion to a tree farm to pick out a tree. The trees Snake likes are too tall and too skinny. The trees Turtle likes are too short and too fat. Luckily for them, they find the perfect tree when they get back home! This is an easy reader format.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Turtle and Snake and the Christmas Tree is a Level 1 title in the Viking Easy-to-Read series. The book jacket recommends this reading level for ages 4 to 7, or Preschool to Grade 1 - kids “getting started” with reading.

The story focuses on next door neighbors, Turtle and Snake, who go out on a snowy day to find a Christmas tree. At the tree farm, they become very particular about the types of trees they like. All the trees they find are too tall, too skinny, too wide, or too short. Only when they come back home, disappointed, do they realize the truly perfect Christmas tree is right in their backyard all along.

The text in this reader is very basic, making it perfect for those brand-new readers with just a few sight words under their belts. Sentences are kept short and simple, and certain words are repeated for emphasis. There is a definite pattern to the segment of the story where the two friends point out what they like and dislike about certain trees, where the same structure is repeated four times. The author also makes effective use of lists in the latter half of the book, presenting information in a consistent, predictable way.

The full-color illustrations fill the pages from top to bottom, which gives the book strong visual appeal, even if the animals themselves look sort of unusual. Turtle and Snake aren’t very expressive in their facial expressions, which is too bad, but the color scheme and Henkes-esque mice make up for that and draw the reader into the book anyway. For an adult who is familiar with all types of writing, the story might seem simplistic, and the ending cheesy and predictable, but for those new readers still learning about story structure, reading this book will be a perfect first experience with independent reading.

Share Turtle and Snake and the Christmas Tree with kids who have read the Biscuit books and are ready for a tiny bit more of a challenge. When the holidays are over, also check out the rest of the Turtle and Snake series, including Turtle and Snake Go Camping and Turtle and Snake at Work.

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Level 1 book recommended for ages 4 - 7, preschool to 1st Grade.

Excerpt from the book:
"Look at all the snow!
It's a perfect day to pick out a Christmas tree.
Let's go, Turtle.
Let's go, Snake.
Put on your mittens.
Put on your scarf.
Put on your hat.
All ready!"

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Des "I liked the tree decorating."

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Too picky. No tree.”