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The Parable Series
The Pine Tree Parable
A heart-warming tale of a farmer and his family who nuture tiny seedlings into Chrstimas trees. When the trees are tall enough to offer to their neighbors, the famers wife plans to keep the most beautiful tree for her family, until one snowy December night, a child teaches her the true meaning of Christmas.
20 pages, Board book
First published August 1, 1997
4 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Liz Curtis Higgs
76 books1,425 followersFormer Bad Girl, grateful for the grace God offers. Happy wife of Bill, one of the Good Guys. Proud mom of two grown-up kids with tender hearts. Lame housekeeper. Marginal cook. Pitiful gardener. Stuff I love? Encouraging my sisters in Christ—across the page, from the platform, online, in person. Unpacking Scripture. Traveling wherever God leads. Listening to His heart. Leaning into His embrace.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 5, 2024
It is a really good book. I think everyone should read it!
December 1, 2017
Loved this sweet children story. It's a story I will read year after year for my grandson:)
December 4, 2024
We read this most Christmases 💚 It’s a great story about sacrifice & joy ❤️
November 12, 2017
A beautiful delight with Scripture that makes its simplicity so very real and precious.
December 11, 2023
First sentence: The farmer and his family grew all kinds of things all year 'round, like flowers, vegetables, and pumpkins. Their favorite things to grow were Christmas trees. "He plants a pine tree, and the rain makes it grow." Isaiah 44:14
Premise/plot: A family learns more about the true meaning of Christmas in this children's book. The farmer's wife--all the characters are nameless, not surprising since this one is aiming to be a parable--has reserved the absolute best pine tree for herself. Year after year the tree remains her pride and joy. It is not for sale. Others are for sale, I believe, and some are even free. When a poor family comes to the tree farm, the little girl falls in love with the gorgeous, amazing, not-for-sale tree, will the farmer's wife have a change of heart?
My thoughts: This was definitely my first time reading The Pine Tree Parable. I think it's a solid story about the meaning of Christmas. I think there are many positive elements to the story. I don't know exactly that using this many verses out of context is to be praised offhand. But the story does flow nicely--out of context verses and all.
The verses woven into the story: Isaiah 44:14, Ezekiel 31:7, Job 28:19, Proverbs 22:2, Ezekiel 31:5, Proverbs 13:12, Matthew 18:5, Proverbs 19:17, Galatians 5:14, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Corinthians 8:9,
Premise/plot: A family learns more about the true meaning of Christmas in this children's book. The farmer's wife--all the characters are nameless, not surprising since this one is aiming to be a parable--has reserved the absolute best pine tree for herself. Year after year the tree remains her pride and joy. It is not for sale. Others are for sale, I believe, and some are even free. When a poor family comes to the tree farm, the little girl falls in love with the gorgeous, amazing, not-for-sale tree, will the farmer's wife have a change of heart?
My thoughts: This was definitely my first time reading The Pine Tree Parable. I think it's a solid story about the meaning of Christmas. I think there are many positive elements to the story. I don't know exactly that using this many verses out of context is to be praised offhand. But the story does flow nicely--out of context verses and all.
The verses woven into the story: Isaiah 44:14, Ezekiel 31:7, Job 28:19, Proverbs 22:2, Ezekiel 31:5, Proverbs 13:12, Matthew 18:5, Proverbs 19:17, Galatians 5:14, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Corinthians 8:9,
July 13, 2017
It takes an amazing author to right something for children that can apply to the Word of God and tell the story that the Lord has commanded us to tell. Liz Curtis Higgs has done that and then some in this short-story. I am so grateful for this woman of God and how she lets the Lord lead her!
"The Pine Tree Parable" begins with the story of a family that have a Christmas Tree Farm and as the years past there is the most perfect tree grown that the farmer's wife cannot depart with it. As all of this is going on through the pages, verses are going along with it to explain how God has called us to be. I could not begin to explain the warmth that filled me as we come to the end of the story, don't worry I won't give it away, and then the smile that overcome my child's face matched my own, letting me know that we all felt the same about this story!
"The Pine Tree Parable" begins with the story of a family that have a Christmas Tree Farm and as the years past there is the most perfect tree grown that the farmer's wife cannot depart with it. As all of this is going on through the pages, verses are going along with it to explain how God has called us to be. I could not begin to explain the warmth that filled me as we come to the end of the story, don't worry I won't give it away, and then the smile that overcome my child's face matched my own, letting me know that we all felt the same about this story!
January 23, 2021
(4☆ Would recommend)
Such a cute book. I really like the scriptures that go along with this story. The colorful and fun pictures are engaging for kids. And the allegory is such a great opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about the Gospel.
Such a cute book. I really like the scriptures that go along with this story. The colorful and fun pictures are engaging for kids. And the allegory is such a great opportunity for parents to talk to their kids about the Gospel.
December 5, 2023
This tale is fine for others- it's a great moral story about sacrifice, and every set of pages has a verse on it. But it's just not authentic. I'm not sure that the scriptures on the pages are even taken in context.
I just find it a bit off.
I just find it a bit off.
December 29, 2024
A sacrifice that makes the perfect gift… a sweet story about a special Christmas tree. Each year my family wraps our collection of Christmas and winter stories so that we can randomly select one each night to read aloud together. This was our book for today.
November 28, 2021
Cute story of giving, sacrificing, and being a good neighbor.
December 4, 2021
My kids enjoyed this book, it’s got a sweet message and they thought it was really nice what the farmer’s wife did.
December 6, 2021
Our second win from this series!! My kids love this and so do I!!
November 26, 2022
The Parable Series books are some of my favorites! What makes this book so very special is the inclusion of Bible verses on every page or two-page spread. ❤️
June 16, 2023
Religious book with morals. Great artwork
July 9, 2025
This series is SO ADORABLE!! I love how there are Bible verses on every page. I also appreciate how full circle all the books came together.
January 30, 2023
This is a fabulous Christmas book for children.
October 11, 2011
You may remember my excitement last October with Thomas Nelson and Liz Curtis Higgs released one of her children's books in a big board book format perfect for the season --> The Pumpkin Patch Parable. This year I am ecstatic about their release of another of her children's books into a big board book format great for this coming Christmas season --> The Pine Tree Parable.
Seriously, I could not be more excited! I am so in love with this new big board book type of format that I am plain giddy. Liz always has love in my book since her Christian Historical Fiction novels were my introduction into my novel passion, but her children's books are wonderful too. Each book with a great overall message straight with Biblical inspiration and each page within filled with a verse that guides the story as well as gives an opportunity for discussion points with one's child.
As I said with The Pumpkin Patch Parable, big board book... What this book is, is a beautiful parable format using the image of a pine tree to share the gospel with our kids. With an applicable verse on each page bringing the story and the message in the bible alive this book is creative and meaningful. The size is great, and AppleBlossom even as a toddler is excited to be able to touch the pages and flip them herself and I rest easy without the fear of her tearing the pages. I love it!
Seriously, I could not be more excited! I am so in love with this new big board book type of format that I am plain giddy. Liz always has love in my book since her Christian Historical Fiction novels were my introduction into my novel passion, but her children's books are wonderful too. Each book with a great overall message straight with Biblical inspiration and each page within filled with a verse that guides the story as well as gives an opportunity for discussion points with one's child.
As I said with The Pumpkin Patch Parable, big board book... What this book is, is a beautiful parable format using the image of a pine tree to share the gospel with our kids. With an applicable verse on each page bringing the story and the message in the bible alive this book is creative and meaningful. The size is great, and AppleBlossom even as a toddler is excited to be able to touch the pages and flip them herself and I rest easy without the fear of her tearing the pages. I love it!
November 16, 2022
With each page footnoted with a scripture, this story will tenderly embed in the hearts of each listener just how special God's sacrifice of sending His only Son to earth for us is.
Ages: 4 - 8
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
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Ages: 4 - 8
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
November 15, 2016
We absolutely love and own all four of Liz Curtis Higgs seasonal books for kids–The Sunflower Parable, The Pumpkin Patch Parable, and The Parable of the Lily.
This one takes children on a story of a family who owned a Christmas tree farm but never wanted to sell one special tree–until one little girl showed them the true meaning of Christmas.
This one takes children on a story of a family who owned a Christmas tree farm but never wanted to sell one special tree–until one little girl showed them the true meaning of Christmas.
February 11, 2014
A sweet story about a farmer's family sacrificing a beloved Christmas tree for a family in need. I appreciated the inclusion of Bible verses throughout the story to underscore the Christian concepts presented.
December 22, 2022
A book about giving.
2016 Read with Naomi.
12/6/17 Read with Julia.
12/10/18 Read with Naomi & Julia
11/30/20 Read with Julia
12/2/21 Read with Naomi and Julia
12/22/22 Read with Julia
2017 A book that won the ECPA Book award
2016 Read with Naomi.
12/6/17 Read with Julia.
12/10/18 Read with Naomi & Julia
11/30/20 Read with Julia
12/2/21 Read with Naomi and Julia
12/22/22 Read with Julia
2017 A book that won the ECPA Book award
November 26, 2016
Another religious book about sacrifices and generosity. This book is about a family that has a Christmas tree farm and how they sacrifice the most beautiful tree to show God's love to a poor family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2016
Sniff** Loved. This.
Read
July 18, 2018H 79 (3)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews