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The Little Christmas Tree
A little fir tree grew at the edge of the forest. Behind it, the great pines towered, and an oak tree spread its shadow far and wide. Birds build their nests in the pines. squirrels eat the nuts and acorns. Children even build a tree house in the oak. But nobody thinks the fir tree is useful. It is just too little. The little tree hates being so small. Some day I'll show them, the fir tree thought. But it didn't know how. Then one day the snow begins to fall. Christmas is coming, and Christmas is a time of magical surprises--sometimes even for a little fir tree.
32 pages, Library Binding
First published July 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 11, 2021
Another story about a small Christmas tree. Animals visit the tree but some strange connections are made between the tree and the forest creatures, a hedgehog passes that has been in a compost heap and has a salami wrapper stuck, so uses the tree to rub the wrapper off, some rabbits use it for jumping practise... I think better reasons for the trees existence could have been found. When a boy finds the tree he decides to decorate it outside and animals come to see it. Nice idea but this has been done several times and more successfully, also this is another example of a picture book that depicts the branches of a for tree pointing down as opposed to up.
December 17, 2018
This was just okay, not bad but not great either. The main problem I had with it is that I have read so many stories like this before, and they've been done better. I can't tell you how many books have been written about the little tree who just wanted to be useful but was too small. I have read a book where a little tree is decorated where it stands and not cut down, and I've come across so many books where the little kid character grows up and becomes the old person still carrying on the tradition, so nothing about this was new, except some minor parts that I didn't like.
This started out having all of the effect of Easter. Pretty spring green grass, yellow and pink, etc. flowers, and even rabbits. It smacked of Easter and had no feel or look of Christmas.
There was a lot of text, way more than is usual for a picture book. The last line for nearly every paragraph was that the tree wanted to change things but he just didn't know how, and that became redundant. I don't like repeating lines in books.
The rabbits decided that they wanted to jump over the tree as practice, and I thought the tree would like that it was being used, but surprisingly he was "green with anger." Didn't know anger was green...
A hedgehog came and was full of composted material, which it rubbed over the tree to clean itself. It was random that a salami wrapper was one of the items on it.
In the fall only the conifers were green, and it wasn't explained what a conifer is. That's entirely too big of a word to use in a picture book; kids would have no idea what that is. The author only wrote that pines and the fir tree are conifers without saying what that is.
The tree was described like a person, wanting to retaliate and do things that only a person would do, and it was jarring. For instance, when the rabbits jumped over him he he stretched and tried to brush their stomachs with his needles. When the hedgehog wiped off on him, he didn't have time to pull back his needles and he was so mad after that he moved his tip. When it snowed it would shiver the snow off so it didn't disappear in the drift. When the family put the ornaments on he took care not to drop any, and the topper was so heavy but he was so proud that he didn't bend. If something is too heavy, the tree is going to bend! It was weird to think of trees doing these things, but I guess it's par for the course because the tree is a conscious being in here.
A boy wanted to take the tree home but the dad thought it was a shame to cut him down when it was still growing. I felt the same way and didn't think he should be cut down! So he proposed they leave the tree there and decorate it.
The animals all saw him and were in awe of his beautiful purpose. But the hedgehog was missing and animals who hadn't had anything to do with the tree were there, like a boar, deer, fox, squirrel and crows.
It's always depressing to see a kid grow into an old person, and it was that way to see the little boy turn into a white-haired old man. It was nice that the author wrote that he came back every year and no matter how tall the tree was, it was still the right size. (Even though Peter was shown on a ladder, not even reaching anywhere near the top of the tree!) It was always the most beautiful tree for him.
If this hadn't been such an overdone plot I might have enjoyed it more, but I was a bit bored because I've read this same exact story before and stories similar enough to it that I wasn't really interested. It doesn't stand out enough.
This started out having all of the effect of Easter. Pretty spring green grass, yellow and pink, etc. flowers, and even rabbits. It smacked of Easter and had no feel or look of Christmas.
There was a lot of text, way more than is usual for a picture book. The last line for nearly every paragraph was that the tree wanted to change things but he just didn't know how, and that became redundant. I don't like repeating lines in books.
The rabbits decided that they wanted to jump over the tree as practice, and I thought the tree would like that it was being used, but surprisingly he was "green with anger." Didn't know anger was green...
A hedgehog came and was full of composted material, which it rubbed over the tree to clean itself. It was random that a salami wrapper was one of the items on it.
In the fall only the conifers were green, and it wasn't explained what a conifer is. That's entirely too big of a word to use in a picture book; kids would have no idea what that is. The author only wrote that pines and the fir tree are conifers without saying what that is.
The tree was described like a person, wanting to retaliate and do things that only a person would do, and it was jarring. For instance, when the rabbits jumped over him he he stretched and tried to brush their stomachs with his needles. When the hedgehog wiped off on him, he didn't have time to pull back his needles and he was so mad after that he moved his tip. When it snowed it would shiver the snow off so it didn't disappear in the drift. When the family put the ornaments on he took care not to drop any, and the topper was so heavy but he was so proud that he didn't bend. If something is too heavy, the tree is going to bend! It was weird to think of trees doing these things, but I guess it's par for the course because the tree is a conscious being in here.
A boy wanted to take the tree home but the dad thought it was a shame to cut him down when it was still growing. I felt the same way and didn't think he should be cut down! So he proposed they leave the tree there and decorate it.
The animals all saw him and were in awe of his beautiful purpose. But the hedgehog was missing and animals who hadn't had anything to do with the tree were there, like a boar, deer, fox, squirrel and crows.
It's always depressing to see a kid grow into an old person, and it was that way to see the little boy turn into a white-haired old man. It was nice that the author wrote that he came back every year and no matter how tall the tree was, it was still the right size. (Even though Peter was shown on a ladder, not even reaching anywhere near the top of the tree!) It was always the most beautiful tree for him.
If this hadn't been such an overdone plot I might have enjoyed it more, but I was a bit bored because I've read this same exact story before and stories similar enough to it that I wasn't really interested. It doesn't stand out enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2018
This story was nothing new. I’ve read ones like this before, a tree that wants a purpose, that longs to be a Christmas tree, etc.
No one thought the little fir tree in the field was useful, not the squirrels in the trees, or the kids in their treehouse.
When a couple of hares used the tree for jumping practice, the tree became green with anger. This was odd to me because green isn’t associated with anger, it’s usually green with envy. I guess the author couldn’t say red with anger, because the tree is green, but then you probably shouldn’t use a color at all.
Peter’s dad looked like a teenager, definitely not like a grown man. The mom also looked like a young girl, so at least they matched.
I thought it was sweet how when the family hangs Christmas ornaments on the tree, the fir tree took great care not to drop a single ball. The star that they put on top was heavy, but the tree was so proud that he didn’t bend.
The page with the tree all lit up with candles was really pretty.
The text was a little hard to read on the page with the family looking at the tree at night. They could have lightened the blue color so we could read it more easily.
All the animals came to see the tree, and the fir tree knew it had finally shown that it was the right size for something truly special.
Peter came back every Christmas, and no matter how tall the tree grew, it stayed just the right size. I don’t know how it could be the right size, though, when Peter had to use a ladder and when he obviously can’t reach the top, it wouldn’t be the right size to decorate.
I always find it a little depressing to see a story of a young kid turn into an old man at the end.
The last page was pretty, showing a scene of the tall pine at night, with stars twinkling in the sky and the lights of the town on the hill.
I thought it was odd there was no info about the author and illustrator at the end. Also, I think this book was a little too large, especially to be a paperback.
This was pretty good for what it was. Nothing new, I’ve seen it done before, but still a cute story.
2.5 stars.
No one thought the little fir tree in the field was useful, not the squirrels in the trees, or the kids in their treehouse.
When a couple of hares used the tree for jumping practice, the tree became green with anger. This was odd to me because green isn’t associated with anger, it’s usually green with envy. I guess the author couldn’t say red with anger, because the tree is green, but then you probably shouldn’t use a color at all.
Peter’s dad looked like a teenager, definitely not like a grown man. The mom also looked like a young girl, so at least they matched.
I thought it was sweet how when the family hangs Christmas ornaments on the tree, the fir tree took great care not to drop a single ball. The star that they put on top was heavy, but the tree was so proud that he didn’t bend.
The page with the tree all lit up with candles was really pretty.
The text was a little hard to read on the page with the family looking at the tree at night. They could have lightened the blue color so we could read it more easily.
All the animals came to see the tree, and the fir tree knew it had finally shown that it was the right size for something truly special.
Peter came back every Christmas, and no matter how tall the tree grew, it stayed just the right size. I don’t know how it could be the right size, though, when Peter had to use a ladder and when he obviously can’t reach the top, it wouldn’t be the right size to decorate.
I always find it a little depressing to see a story of a young kid turn into an old man at the end.
The last page was pretty, showing a scene of the tall pine at night, with stars twinkling in the sky and the lights of the town on the hill.
I thought it was odd there was no info about the author and illustrator at the end. Also, I think this book was a little too large, especially to be a paperback.
This was pretty good for what it was. Nothing new, I’ve seen it done before, but still a cute story.
2.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2017
A little fir tree grows at the edge of the forest. At first, the animals misuse the tree and the proud tree thinks that someday it will show them how important it will become. Then Peter sees the tree...it is just his size. He asks his dad if they can cut it down to make it their Christmas tree. The dad agrees that the tree is just his size, but suggests that they let it continue to grow. However, they can bring decorations and make it his own special wild tree. Peter loves the tree...and the tree loves being Peter's special tree.
November 17, 2017
Ages: 3 - 7
#christmas
#christmas
November 26, 2022
A cute little book about growing up… 🌲
January 12, 2016
This book is predominantly about Christmas however also focuses on confidence and the idea that everyone and everything is special. This book could be quite fun to use at Christmas within a PSHE lesson about self esteem, as this book accesses the idea of this in a comfortable context. I think the illustrations within the book are lovely and emphasise many different aspects of winter as well as nature. Therefore this book could also be good for learning about Winter and the animals and things which happen within this season.
December 17, 2015
Christmas book day 16
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews