The Little Fir Tree

by Christopher Corr

Deep in the forest, there lived a beautiful little fir tree who longed to see the world. When the tree is taken to town at Christmas, it feels like all his dreams have come true. But what will happen the day after? Find out in this beautifully illustrated modern retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s festive tale.

When he was surrounded by the splendor of nature, the little fir tree could only think about what he wasn’t and what he didn’t have and couldn’t see. After the initial excitement of venturing out, though, he finds that the world isn’t quite what he expected .

As the story of the little fir tree unfolds—brought to enchanting life with the colorful, folk art–inspired artwork of acclaimed author/illustrator Christopher Corr—so does a touching lesson on appreciating what we already have and a hopeful message of rebirth .

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Classics

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is based on a Hans Christian Anderson story, as you might expect from a fairy-tale of that era, it is brutal although ends with a slight ray of hope, unlike the original. This would have made me sob as a child. A little tree wishes for his time to come to leave the forest, when he is chopped down he goes to a families house for Christmas. The little tree talks to the reader, so you really feel you've got to know the little tree by the time that Christmas is over and he is dumped in the shed. This version has made the ending slightly less traumatic by showing a new tree is growing in the place this little tree grew in the forest.

It seemed unnecessary to make this so sad, surely if we are going to have a cute anthropomorphic tree we could have seen the tree dug up and brought in in a pot and then planted out?

This had folk art style illustrations that were bright and interesting, I didn't particularly like them and they didn't seem Christmassy.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hans Christian Anderson was a bit sadistic. Just look at what he did to some of his characters! The Little Fir Tree is a retelling of one of his lesser-known stories about a small tree who longs for what he doesn't have until he realizes he should've been grateful all along. Well... that's the original story. What we get in Christopher Corr's retelling is a bit confusing, since he obviously decided to try to brighten things up a bit. (At the end of the original tale, the spent Christmas tree is chopped up into firewood and burned. In this version, he simply goes brown--as old Christmas trees tend to do--and a new fir tree suddenly starts growing in the middle of the forest.)

The writing is pretty good here, even though it's a bit weird to try to wrap your brain around an anthropomorphized tree. (Why is it male, for one thing? If there were ever a time to use "they/them" pronouns, this is it.) As I was reading about the stupid tree wishing it could get chopped down so it could see the world (seriously, what?!), I had a feeling that things weren't going to end well. And they didn't. They also didn't make a lot of sense. After Christmas (for which the fir tree is chopped down and decorated... which somehow doesn't kill him), he's tossed into a shed for months, after which the children find him and pull him back out into the sunshine. (Would he even be recognizable as a tree at that point?) Instead of getting chopped up into firewood, however, he's decorated with flowers by the children and he gets one last chance to enjoy the sunshine. The tree's demise isn't spelled out in the text, which might be a bit confusing for some readers. The tree is shown yellow and dead, lying on the ground. Then a new fir tree grows, and the way the text is worded, one could be forgiven for thinking that the book is implying that the little dead tree has come back to life.

The illustrations here are very bright and colourful, with sort of a folksy aesthetic. It's not my favourite style, but it works here.

Overall, this was just okay for me. If you're looking for a kinder, gentler retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's story, you might like this. But if, like me, you're bothered by stories that complicate things when they try to "fix" narrative problems or potentially traumatic imagery, your reaction to The Little Fir Tree might be lukewarm as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing a digital ARC.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

I loved the folk ark drawings within this book and so did my little one.

The message given throughout the book is clear and meaningful and heartfelt - be happy with what you have and cherish every moment - don't wish your life away.

This book is based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen.

[Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book remind me of the Christmas storybooks I read as a child. I loved them! Unfortunately, trying to brighten up a Hans Christian Anderson tale failed here. How could a tree that was cut down survive for months? I have a feeling many children are going to be asking that question.

This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Etienne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this one. The illustrations were far from my taste and the story was a bit weird. Not sure where it was going but the message seem strange and I didn't like it!

[Rianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

1/55 books read in 2020.
66/52 books read in 2019.
Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 3,5 stars.

This is a kinder retelling of The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen.
As most of you probably know, original fairy tales are cautionary tales and therefore most of the time rather creepy or scary. They are meant to scare you into doing the right thing or avoiding the bad thing, making you, supposedly, more equipped to tackle life. Hans Christian Andersen's stories are full of these life signposts with a dark edge and most of his main characters end up dead or really unhappy.
Christopher Corr has clearly tried to keep the life lesson, but lessen the potential of a child being made to feel discomfort because their favourite tree dies at the end.
And though no child will probably be scarred by this retelling, it is a little unfortunate that Corr has felt the need to disguise death pretty much all together. This could have been a great story to teach a child about death and the beauty of the circle of nature.

The art is really quirky and quite pretty. It feels modern with a nostalgic twist and makes for an pleasant reading experience.

All in all, not a bad read, just a little less than what I wanted.

[Gladimore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of a little fir tree that wanted to see the world. He was so excited to see the world that he didn't realize how beautiful and perfect his place in the forest was. This tale shows us what happens when he realizes he had a perfect place all along. In many ways this is a sad story, the trees are cut down to make things for people. The tree in this story wants to be cut down and taken away and that to me is very sad! A tree's place is in the forest. But it has it's saving grace because at the end, a new tree has grown from a piece of the old one!!
#Netgalley

[Ruth Govaerts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik weet het, dit is eigenlijk een kerstboek. De illustraties waren gewoon zo aantrekkelijk dat ik het boek niet kon laten liggen in de bibliotheek. Het verhaal is gebaseerd op een sprookje Hans Christian Andersen.

Een kleine spar voelt zich ongelukkig. Hij wil net zoals de grote bomen gebruikt worden om boten mee te bouwen of in een schattig huis worden verwerkt. Hij wil op avontuur en niet voor altijd in het bos blijven. Op een dag komt een familie hem ophalen, wordt hij in een gezellige woonkamer geplaatst en van top tot teen versierd.

Het is een leuk, maar niet bijzonder spectaculair verhaal. Het zijn vooral de tekeningen die het boek maken. Ze zijn erg kleurrijk en geven je meteen een warm gevoel.

[Tracy Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a little fur tree that doesn't want to be little he wants to be like the big trees and become a cabin or a ship. The animals would tell him not to waste his life away, and to enjoy the things around him. A few years passed by and the loggers came back, and this time the little fur tree was chosen. He was excited about getting to see the world. He was taken to a house and decorated for Christmas. Songs were sung, stories were told, and then after the festivities, he was taken and put in the shed for the winter. He was sad and lonely and missed the forest and the animals. He realized that he had lived his best life then, but didn't know it at the time.

The story does have a happy ending, I enjoyed this story as it does come full circle and teaches the circle of life It also teaches that the grass is not always greener on the other side, and to enjoy the little things in life.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
#TheLittleFirTree #NetGalley

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much, the cover drew me in as it was so cute I knew my girls would love the pictures and illustrations , I loved the tale and as an adult probably appreciated the messages involved, about appreciating the time we have , but they enjoyed the story too. Beautiful book with a lovely story. One for every child’s bookshelf

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Leah Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Fir Tree is a children’s story with a very important message. Don’t wish away your life. Simple as that. For a children’s book this made me very sad. Maybe because I’m 33 and a mom, lol.

This book was vividly illustrated in a whimsical fashion. The story has a happy ending and it really drives the whole messGe home.

[OjoAusana · Rating 4 out of 5]

*received this from netgalley for honest review* I really loved the art in this book and really liked the story. cite Christmas (or even spring time lol) book!

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and a sweet message.

[Lee Peckover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little late and out of season for reviewing this, but this is a nice little book with a moral reminding us to avoid wishing our lives away and enjoy the experiences we have while we can. Reading this with my toddler son felt poignant, time is moving so swiftly with him, and treasuring these moments together reading a good book is such an important time.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little fir tree longs to leave the forest and see the world, but after he is cut down for a Christmas tree and only experiences a single night of happiness, he finally appreciates what he has lost.

The moral of this story is somewhat ambiguous. The beginning illustrates how you don't know what you have until it's gone. The little fir tree never appreciated its life in the forest because it is always daydreaming of other more exciting places. It didn't value the admiration of the woodland animals because it wanted to be desired by the world of man.

Once it is chopped down, the little fir tree has a brief moment of glory as a Christmas tree before being stuck in the shed. This incident demonstrates that nothing lasts forever. (Why the tree is put in the shed rather than being chopped up for firewood is never explained.)

While in the shed, the little fir tree experiences sadness and regret, recalling its life in the forest. "'It was the best place in the world. If only I'd know it then.'" At the end of the story, the children rediscover the fir tree, drag it from the shed, and decorate with spring flowers and leaves. The fir tree is happy, ignorant of the fact that this is only a passing fancy unlikely to last more than a day. Clearly, it is important to appreciate what one has and enjoy what one has to offer no matter how brief. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.

Meanwhile back in the forest, a new little fir tree begins to grow to the delight of the animals. This ending seems to express the modern sentiment that everyone is replaceable. Perhaps this little fur tree will succeed where its predecessor failed.

The illustrations are done in a primitive folksy style, using bright colors.

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Little Fir Tree is apparently a Hans Christian Anderson tale, that is retold here with illustrations by Christopher Corr. The illustrations tend more to brightly colorful and whimsical than to lifelike, and aren't particularly to my taste. In keeping with the heritage of the story, I suppose, all humans in the story are depicted in very traditional Euro-centric white ways. Children may enjoy the art, though, for the brightness and activity on each page, and be less concerned than I about disproportionate sizing or lopsided shapes, not to mention lack of diversity.

To be honest, I didn't really like the story much more than I liked the art. Retelling classics can be nice, when they are worthwhile classics, but I'm not really sure of the point of this story. I didn't find the ending particularly satisfying, despite an allusion to the circle of life that felt a little disconnected from the narrative up til then. I'm also not sure that this is a point in history to be publishing books about how much trees want to be cut down, and how they remain happy after they get chopped down, used, and then discarded.

I just think that there's better kids books out there than this, with more relevant topics and more attractive illustrations.

Thanks anyway, to #NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for letting me read a copy of #TheLittleFirTree for free in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the original story of the little fir tree by Hans Christian Andersen but I didn't care for the illustrations in this version. A little neon and unnatural for me given the forest/nature theme of the story.

[Alice Ball · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations were so painfully loud and bright I could not finish it.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story of appreciation and learning to see the world around us. We are often told that we should want more, that what we currently have is not enough and to always strive to be bigger and better. Too often, we don’t stop and appreciate the things we have, the people in our lives and realize how important they are in shaping our present and future.

This beautifully illustrated book, follows a little fir tree as he starts out in the forest wanting to be like the big trees – tall and strong. When he sees them cut down, he is jealous as he thinks they are about to go on a grand adventure around the world (even though he doesn’t even know what things like a cabin or sea is). It takes him a while but finally he too is cut down and starts his own adventure. But he quickly realizes, this adventure isn’t quite what he thought it would be and yearns for his days in the forest.

This book is that gentle reminder for both children and adults to appreciate each and every moment and the people in our lives. Life can change so fast and many times the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. This is a very tough lesson to learn for many people, especially young children who sometimes yearn for what their friends may have.

We should teach our children to live in the moment, appreciate each small thing in their lives and the importance of the people and things in their lives and how this shapes who they are. This isn’t the easiest lesson to teach and having a book helps to illustrate these lessons for them makes this process that much easier.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful – bright and bold, perfect for young readers. The story itself is easy to read out loud to a child and for an older child to read themselves. I loved every aspect of this book and feel it is an excellent read for children from four up to adulthood (because to be honest – this is a good lesson for adults to remember and model for their children).

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little fir tree lives deep in the forest surrounded by extremely tall trees. Lumberjacks come one day and start cutting them down and taking them away to build cabins and ships that sail on the seas. Oh how the little tree longs to be harvested and used for some great purpose too, but alas he is always overlooked and left behind because of his size. The birds laugh and try to cheer him up. They tell him that every moment is precious and not to wish his life way.

The seasons come and go and the little tree grows bigger and bigger. He becomes more discontented and yearns to be chosen ever so badly so he can have his own exciting destiny.

The very next winter the lumberjacks arrive once again and this time the little fir tree is the first to be cut down and taken away.

"Finally, I will see the world!" he thought, his heart soaring."

He is taken to town at Christmas and decorated beautifully inside a grand house. He is complimented and adored by the children who live there. They delight in his very presence at this fun festive time of the year. The little fir tree is ecstatic! Finally he feels proud and ever so happy. But what will happen to him after Christmas is over? What will his destiny be then?

The illustrations are vibrant, colourful and folk-art style. The book's message is that we should appreciate what you already have. As the old song says... you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone... and that is exactly the life lesson that the little fir tree learned. The author deviates from the original Hans Christian Anderson's tale by adding a new twist of hope at the very end of the story. After all, most kid's love a happily-ever-after ending.

The book imparts a positive, valuable message that both kids and adults can adhere too and I highly recommend it.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Fir Tree is a lovely book based on the Hans Christian Anderson story, I had not read this before so it was new for all of us and I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. It is the story of a little fir tree who is excited to see the world but is disappointed when nobody seems to want him and he stays left in the forest until one day everything changes.

I think the message in the story of being grateful and appreciative for what you have is fantastic for the children to learn and not something I have seen or was expecting in a picture book as it's quite a deep and meaningful topic for a young age but it is done beautifully and in a way the children could understand.

With the tree being the main character it was a unique perspective on the story but it worked really well with how we got to understand how the tree was feeling and what he saw the world as, it made them sad to see the fir tree sad but it's great for it to be that way as it shows how you are able to empathise with the tree despite it not being a person. We loved the ending and it really turned the story around in a way we weren't expecting.

The illustrations in the book are beautiful and really keep the children's attention with all the bright and colourful images and fun cartoon like images showing nature through the seasons and the life the little fir tree ended up living (this was their favourite but to see but I won't spoil what it was!)

We have really enjoyed reading The Little Fir Tree, such a fantastic version of the story with fantastic illustrations and a great message within!

[Jennifer Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Fir Tree comes from the original story by Hans Christian Anderson and is retold by Christopher Corr. The thing that initially drew me to read this book was the cover. The brightly colored, whimsical illustrations continue throughout the book. The colors used effectively portray the seasons as they pass even though the setting for most of the story is an evergreen forest.

The little fir tree is the smallest tree in the forest and cannot wait to grow up. The little tree watches as the forest changes around it and is constantly unhappy. Other trees are cut down to make cabins and ships, but the little fir tree remains. Finally, the little fir tree is selected to be a Christmas tree and is cut down and taken to a house in the city. The tree enjoys the holiday with the family that lives in the house, but once the holiday is over the tree is shut in a dark shed. The tree longs for the times it had taken for granted in the forest. Finally, in the spring the children find the tree, take it outside, and begin playing with it. The tree knows true happiness for the first time.

There are several lessons to be taught from this story, such as "don't rush to grow up" and "take the time to appreciate the small things". This is a book that I would consider adding to my school library and one that I will definitely be sharing with my own children.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#TheLittleFirTree
#NetGalley

[Mary Rees · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gorgeous story is based on the original tale by Hans Christian Anderson. The vibrant palette and richness of the illustrations are stunning, and evocative of a simple appreciation and celebration of the wonder and beauty of the natural environment as they immerse the reader in images of forest and woodland creatures.
The story is told from the viewpoint of a little fir tree who is unhappy with his life deep in the forest. He sees older, bigger trees being cut down and taken away, and longs to find his place in the world, to have a sense of purpose …
Don’t wish your life away, little tree.
Eventually, the little fir tree gets what he has spent his life wishing for as he becomes part of a family’s festive celebrations. However, his new-found purpose may not be all that he had expected …
This story conveys an important message: to appreciate the beauty in the natural world around us, and to cherish what we have rather than wishing our lives away with things that may not fulfil us as much as we thought they would.
I love how children’s stories, no matter how seemingly simple, convey important wisdoms, and this story does just that.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[George1st · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming reworking and adaptation of a Hans Christian Andersen classic Christmas tale that has the message be careful for what you wish for and be appreciative for what you have for it may be infinitely better than the alternatives. With wonderful illustrations that are evocative of a folksy Scandinavian setting we learn how the little fir tree was consumed by a desire to escape their present woodland setting into a world that is imagined to be full of adventure and excitement.

However the world outside may be far different to what the little fir tree imagines and perhaps it could be better off staying in the woodland surrounded by its animal friends. This is a most delightful story that I remember from childhood but the ending here is far different from the original which is darker, sadder and quite haunting. I do not know why it has been changed but assume it is to do with not upsetting children's sensibilities. Nevertheless the essence of the story is the same and makes for excellent story telling at Christmas and who knows it may inspire the more inquisitive to seek out the original.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The little fir tree lived in the forest with bigger fir trees. People who came to picnic in the forest, often remarked that he was a beautiful, little tree. But he was unhappy. He did not want to be a pretty little tree in the forest. As the larger fir trees were taken into town to be made into houses and ships, he, too, wanted to leave the forest and see the world. But when he does leave the forest, it is not exactly as he thought it would be.

This is a nice Christmas story. This precious story teaches children about the importance of appreciating what they have. The grass always does appear to be greener on the other side of the fence. But things are not always as they appear.

This edition is sturdily bound and is reminiscent of the older styling of books in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The pictures are colorful, happy, and bright.


The Little Fir Tree is adapted from an original story by Hans Christian Andersen.

[Anindyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Fir Tree is a nice colorful book intended for children. I requested this book because the cover is so beautiful. The exceprt said this was originally Hans Christian Andersen's story. I had not read this story before, let alone hear about it, so it's exciting for me.

The main character is a fir tree that lives in the woods. We begin when the tree is young and envying other tall trees that being cut away by people and being brought with them to see "another world". Well, isn't that what we all felt when we were a little? We envying the grown up and didn't realize that our childhood is awesome.

The morale of the story is great for kids and for adults too. I personally like the brightful color, it's so refreshing to see.

Thank you Netgalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for granting my wish.

[TammyJo Eckhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I think of uplifting holiday stories, I don't think of Hans Christian Andersen; let's be blunt, his stories tend to be dark. Christopher Corr puts a more positive spin on the tale by bringing in more animals and interactions with the little fir tree and the humans who use it. That's the great part of this book; it stays mostly true to the original but makes it slightly more child-friendly.

However, the images were a bit off-putting for me and my little I shared it with. Most of the art was good -- bright with recognizable plants, animals, objects, and people -- but the eyes were strange. There are animal who have their eyes on the sides of their heads; humans are not among those so every time we had single side eyes on humans and animal that don't, my little and me stopped and frowned. I know it is a style but it was also a bit weird.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Hans Christian Andersen and am not all bothered by this re-telling of his original story. The cover is lovely and I really do like the bright folk artsy looking artwork used for this book. I think its very fitting for the story.

I feel there is a clear moral to the story here, the little fir tree always wanted what he didn't have and when he finally got what he wanted it wasn't as great as he imagined it would be and he ended up looking back and feeling sad because he wished he was still there. Clear moral to appreciate and be happy with what you have in the moment that you are in right now, very much a grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence kind of story. It reminds me of another story called The Giving Tree, just more old timey!

I think kids will appreciate the story as its told and like the very colorful pictures and particularly the little animals.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Fir Tree is a beautifully told and illustrated fairy tale that children may enjoy on a literal level. For the adult reading this tale, there is much metaphor and much to think about. Some of the things that came to me included why do we want to grow up so quickly? how will we later look back on this rush? what happens when we go from one place to another? how fleeting is joy? can we cycle back to it? what is it like to make room for the next generation? That is quite a lot for a short fairy tale. This is a book to buy for a child you know, both to read now and to save for later. It will remind you to be aware and appreciative of life in the current moment.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Belladonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a beautiful little fir tree who longed to see the world and when he is taken to town at Christmas, it feels like all his dreams have come true.

Having loved all the Hans Christian Anderson's stories. I was thrilled but apprehensive going into this book but I didn't need to be as this was a wonderful retelling which was simply brilliant.

It contains a powerful message that we should be happy with what we have and cherish every moment - don't wish our life away.

What will happen after Christmas? I urge you to find out in this beautifully illustrated modern retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s festive tale.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.


#TheLittleFirTree #NetGalley #ChristopherCorr