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The Jesse Tree
The inspiration for this book was the tradition of carved Jesse trees and stained glass windows used in medieval times to tell people Bible stories. Using her skills as a storyteller and her love of the Bible, the author has written a compelling story about the creation of a modern-day Jesse tree. She weaves evocative retellings of selected Bible stories with a sensitive contemporary story about the transforming power of love.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
Geraldine McCaughrean
349 books327 followersGeraldine McCaughrean is a British children's novelist. She has written more than 170 books, including Peter Pan in Scarlet (2004), the official sequel to Peter Pan commissioned by Great Ormond Street Hospital, the holder of Peter Pan's copyright. Her work has been translated into 44 languages worldwide. She has received the Carnegie Medal twice and the Michael L. Printz Award among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 31, 2015
A grumpy old carpenter has just begun carving a Jesse tree in a peacefully empty church—when he is interrupted by an inquisitive young boy who wants to know the stories behind the symbols. Day after day, the young boy returns to hear the newest installment. The stories start at the very beginning with creation, move through moments like the miraculous birth and near-sacrifice of Isaac, and end with the escape of Mary, Joseph and Jesus to Egypt.
Things I loved:
1) The beautiful writing. Here are just a few examples:
"On the far side of the sea, the children of Israel lay panting on the shore. Behind them the smooth and silent sea sighed; ahead of them stretched the empty desert, humming with heat."
"Like a crumpled rainbow the coat was laid at old Jacob's feet."
"An earthquake took hold of the roots of the mountain and shook it until the boulders bounced by and stones skittered downhill in landslides...But the earthquake was not God speaking.
"Mary laid her hands on her cousin's stomach. (Her own baby's movements were still too tiny to be felt.) It was like a magnet turning north. It was like a weathercock turning to the wind. It was like the oceans being tugged to and fro by the moon. The child in Elizabeth's womb, sensing the closeness of Mary's baby, turned in his watery world and reached out a hand. This other child was why he would struggle into the light of day. Here was his reason to live."
2) The way the stories built on each other and the connections were made so clear. Sometimes I lose sight of the big picture of God's amazing plan. This book helped me see that again.
Things I didn't love:
1) The illustrations. Not my favorite style...the faces in particular were a bit weird for me.
2) Added details. All retellings of Bible stories struggle with this, of course. It isn't wrong to use our imaginations to help the stories seem more real. But for children in particular, it's so important to stay clear on what exactly the Bible said (what we know is truth) and what we are filling in on our own.
3) Dubious theological statements. For example:
"Who knows why God forgave Jacob—the trickster, the cheat—except that God forgives most things." [not sure what that is supposed to mean, exactly...]
"Joseph, who had given orders for the silver cup to be planted among their belongings, looked on with grim satisfaction. His brother were as afraid now as Joseph had been twenty years before when, wrists tied, he had stumbled into slaver behind the merchant camel train." [is it just me, or does it sound like Joseph wanted a moment of revenge??]
"Mary was a good girl. Everyone said so. In fact, people probably never spoke about her at all,because gossips are only interested in people's faults and mistakes, and Mary did nothing wrong."
"Joseph lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He would marry Mary: a woman more perfect than even he had realized." [previous statement and this one sound so much like the Catholic teaching that Mary was sinless...don't know if that is what the author was referring to or not]
My conclusion: In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons. This book is going on my to-buy list. I can foresee it sparking great conversations with my children someday, as a beautiful reminder of God's redemptive plan through Christ.
In the words of the old man and the boy...
"'It's like you said once,' Mr. Butterfield recalled. 'Jesus was like the sheep who died in place of Isaac. He was like that offering on Elijah's altar. He was God's ultimate rescue plan!'
'He was like David slaying the big bad giant!'
'He was the way back to the Paradise Garden!'
'He's the Once-upon-a-time and The End!'"
Things I loved:
1) The beautiful writing. Here are just a few examples:
"On the far side of the sea, the children of Israel lay panting on the shore. Behind them the smooth and silent sea sighed; ahead of them stretched the empty desert, humming with heat."
"Like a crumpled rainbow the coat was laid at old Jacob's feet."
"An earthquake took hold of the roots of the mountain and shook it until the boulders bounced by and stones skittered downhill in landslides...But the earthquake was not God speaking.
"Mary laid her hands on her cousin's stomach. (Her own baby's movements were still too tiny to be felt.) It was like a magnet turning north. It was like a weathercock turning to the wind. It was like the oceans being tugged to and fro by the moon. The child in Elizabeth's womb, sensing the closeness of Mary's baby, turned in his watery world and reached out a hand. This other child was why he would struggle into the light of day. Here was his reason to live."
2) The way the stories built on each other and the connections were made so clear. Sometimes I lose sight of the big picture of God's amazing plan. This book helped me see that again.
Things I didn't love:
1) The illustrations. Not my favorite style...the faces in particular were a bit weird for me.
2) Added details. All retellings of Bible stories struggle with this, of course. It isn't wrong to use our imaginations to help the stories seem more real. But for children in particular, it's so important to stay clear on what exactly the Bible said (what we know is truth) and what we are filling in on our own.
3) Dubious theological statements. For example:
"Who knows why God forgave Jacob—the trickster, the cheat—except that God forgives most things." [not sure what that is supposed to mean, exactly...]
"Joseph, who had given orders for the silver cup to be planted among their belongings, looked on with grim satisfaction. His brother were as afraid now as Joseph had been twenty years before when, wrists tied, he had stumbled into slaver behind the merchant camel train." [is it just me, or does it sound like Joseph wanted a moment of revenge??]
"Mary was a good girl. Everyone said so. In fact, people probably never spoke about her at all,because gossips are only interested in people's faults and mistakes, and Mary did nothing wrong."
"Joseph lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He would marry Mary: a woman more perfect than even he had realized." [previous statement and this one sound so much like the Catholic teaching that Mary was sinless...don't know if that is what the author was referring to or not]
My conclusion: In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons. This book is going on my to-buy list. I can foresee it sparking great conversations with my children someday, as a beautiful reminder of God's redemptive plan through Christ.
In the words of the old man and the boy...
"'It's like you said once,' Mr. Butterfield recalled. 'Jesus was like the sheep who died in place of Isaac. He was like that offering on Elijah's altar. He was God's ultimate rescue plan!'
'He was like David slaying the big bad giant!'
'He was the way back to the Paradise Garden!'
'He's the Once-upon-a-time and The End!'"
September 27, 2008
This is a new book that I purchased this year for Advent. You will need to come up with your own Jesse Tree symbols (if you want to do that) or you can just read this story -- one part each day for the month leading up to Christmas. I can't wait to read it with the girls. It is a very creative way to tell the story of God's plan, beginning with Creation, leads up to Christ. Make sure you buy the hard cover copy -- the soft cover is like a "novellette" and doesn't have the nice pictures that add so much for kids.
December 21, 2020
There are many ways to tell the tales of Jesus in the Jesse Tree tradition. We try to find a new retelling every year. This one was charming. We enjoyed it a lot.
January 5, 2019
We read this for advent as a family. The story wraps around a man carving a Jesse tree in a church who is pestered by a boy to tell him the stories that go with each symbol. The art work and language are evocative. I did find myself changing words on few things as I read aloud that were suppositions presented as fact. Otherwise made an interesting way to retell the old stories.
May 19, 2025
Didn't like this book as much as I hoped, probably won't read it again. My kids gave it five stars. The man and boy main characters were interesting, but the back and forth was sometimes confusing I felt unsatisfied with the ending.
January 6, 2022
We enjoyed reading this throughout advent. It was our first Jesse Tree book.
July 12, 2020
A young boy enters a church and sees an old carpenter at work. The boy asks the carpenter what he's doing and is informed that he's carving a Jesse Tree - a traditional decoration found in churches to tell the story of salvation, starting with creation and ending with Jesus.
As he carves each section, the carpenter begins to tell the boy each part of the story and how it all links together.
This is a beautiful book covering most of the main characters in the old testament and the story of Jesus's birth.
I used the sections about the birth of Jesus so each 'character' in the nativity story could tell their part of the narrative at our church carol service. Many people commented on how well the stories came together and brought the different characters to life.
As he carves each section, the carpenter begins to tell the boy each part of the story and how it all links together.
This is a beautiful book covering most of the main characters in the old testament and the story of Jesus's birth.
I used the sections about the birth of Jesus so each 'character' in the nativity story could tell their part of the narrative at our church carol service. Many people commented on how well the stories came together and brought the different characters to life.
December 12, 2017
Fun and great book!
A boy who ask a lot of question and a man who does not like the answer the question.
This books tell a bible stories through the symbols. But the old man like to work in quietness and boy who keep on interrupting him at his work, asking about the meaning of his symbol. So the old men start telling him stories and he quite enjoy tell him about the bible.
A boy who ask a lot of question and a man who does not like the answer the question.
This books tell a bible stories through the symbols. But the old man like to work in quietness and boy who keep on interrupting him at his work, asking about the meaning of his symbol. So the old men start telling him stories and he quite enjoy tell him about the bible.
December 28, 2020
A lovely and meaningful introduction to biblical theology for kids--but they'll experience it as exciting Bible stories illustrated by cool symbols. We read it for Advent and will do it again next year.
December 26, 2025
Our family really enjoyed following along in this book as we created our first Jesse Tree throughout Advent season. We used the ornaments from the Etsy shop JesseTreeTreasures. I will note, my kids did not like the illustrations of the characters.
March 9, 2018
Beautiful story, we really enjoyed reading this over Christmas, will definitely bring it out again next year.
Read
December 30, 2020🗣 Read to kids
December 22, 2021
I very cute Christmas story that we read every year.
May 2, 2023
Let Us Wait for Light & Miracles
December 13, 2023
Nice retelling of Bible stories featured in a Jesse tree for older children.
December 30, 2023
Such a beautiful book and good story. Looking forward to reading this year to year as my granddaughters grow.
Read
December 30, 2024Reread aloud for the Advent/Christmas season.
February 10, 2014
"Much of a story? Much of a story? The Bible wasn't written to entertain you, you know!" So says Mr. Butterfield to a young boy who wanders into a church while Mr. Butterfield is at work carving a Jesse Tree in an old door. Mr. Butterfield starts off as a crotchety old carver who wants to be left alone to work, but the young boy persists in having Mr. Butterfield explain the stories and symbolism. In the telling Mr. Butterfield's heart begins to melt and he begins to look forward to that pesky boy showing up each day.
A Jesse Tree is a tree carved with all sorts of symbolic carvings that tell the story of Christ. A ram is carved to represent Isaac and the sacrifice that was provided for Abraham to kill instead of his son Isaac.
A sheaf of corn is carved on the Jesse Tree to symbolize God's faithfulness to Ruth.
Finally at the top of the tree is a star- God's brightest star- Christ is born.
The old man tells the story of each carving represented in an insightful and theologically sound and at the same time simple manner.
This is a terrific read aloud book for bedtime reading. There are great illustrations on every page.
A Jesse Tree is a tree carved with all sorts of symbolic carvings that tell the story of Christ. A ram is carved to represent Isaac and the sacrifice that was provided for Abraham to kill instead of his son Isaac.
A sheaf of corn is carved on the Jesse Tree to symbolize God's faithfulness to Ruth.
Finally at the top of the tree is a star- God's brightest star- Christ is born.
The old man tells the story of each carving represented in an insightful and theologically sound and at the same time simple manner.
This is a terrific read aloud book for bedtime reading. There are great illustrations on every page.
October 17, 2008
I am very excited to make a Jesse tree with my family this year. Today, as we were browsing at the library I saw this book, and liked it's approach to the tree, although it would be better used in conjunction with another devotional or how-to, I think.
Normally during advent I use Lisa Whelche's book 'The AdVENTure of Christmas', which I have enjoyed, but I am ready for a shake-up and love the idea of using the Jesse Tree to show the Old Testament pointing to Christ. This has been a theme at Eli's school this year, not to mention in my study and deeper understanding of scripture. Praise God for the story he has given.
Normally during advent I use Lisa Whelche's book 'The AdVENTure of Christmas', which I have enjoyed, but I am ready for a shake-up and love the idea of using the Jesse Tree to show the Old Testament pointing to Christ. This has been a theme at Eli's school this year, not to mention in my study and deeper understanding of scripture. Praise God for the story he has given.
December 28, 2025
I read this book to my class and children each December Advent, with Christmas tree decorations to match stories. A great way to share Jesse tree stories, with a story set in the present linking them together.
2023 pop sugar reading challenge- modern retelling
Still one of my favourite Christmas traditions and always trying to work out who the boy is. Is he an angel?
2025 pop sugar reading challenge- a book of interconnected short stories
2023 pop sugar reading challenge- modern retelling
Still one of my favourite Christmas traditions and always trying to work out who the boy is. Is he an angel?
2025 pop sugar reading challenge- a book of interconnected short stories
January 4, 2025
This is one of my favorite annual Christmas reads with my kids. We read through the book and hang up our felt ornaments on our own Jesse Tree. The beautiful story (very similar in a lot of ways to The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey, another favorite) intermixed with the stories from the Bible from Creation to the Birth of Christ are woven together with deft skill.
January 19, 2016
3.5 stars maybe? This was my second time through this book, which I read to my older kids several years ago. It has some lovely moments, and some that were just sort of... okay. My 8 year old really liked it, though, and I will probably read it again to my littlest ones when they are older.
November 2, 2009
I read this to my children every year in December to commemorate the Advent season, to help them understand why Jesus came and how the Christmas story is seen throughout the Bible.
June 11, 2012
Great book for parents/grandparents to share with their children. We used it for Spiritual Development Week in December 2010. The children, youth and Adults loved it.
December 27, 2012
This book was a great way to talk more about Jesus during Christmas. A definite read again next year!
Read
September 9, 2014Excellent. The kids loved it too.
December 26, 2015
Pretty good
This Jesse Tree book doesn't follow the usual path but is good and the kids loved the story. I recommend it to get more info about parts of Jesus's heritage.
This Jesse Tree book doesn't follow the usual path but is good and the kids loved the story. I recommend it to get more info about parts of Jesus's heritage.
December 1, 2016
Special reminder during the Christmas season.
Wonderful uplifting book that reminds us of God's love and grace throughout history. His plan included even the most unlikely.
Wonderful uplifting book that reminds us of God's love and grace throughout history. His plan included even the most unlikely.
December 29, 2016
Great book to explain Jesus' lineage. It engaged my students and helped them become even more interested in Bible stories than before.
July 11, 2016
Appealing collection of Bible stories for Advent.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews