The Finest Christmas Tree [Hardcover]

Ann Hassett (Author), John Hassett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Every year Farmer Tuttle loads his truck with Christmas trees fresh from his farm and drives down to the city to sell them. Then he picks out a special Christmas hat to bring home to Mrs. Tuttle. But one year, people stopped buying real Christmas trees. Fake ones were more convenient, they said. So Farmer Tuttle had to return home without a hat to give his wife. The Tuttles worried; if they couldn’t sell their trees anymore, what would they do? Just when they’re about to sell all their trees to a man from the sawmill, a mysterious letter arrives requesting Farmer Tuttle’s finest tree . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. The husband-and-wife team known for Cat up a Tree (1998)and others considers the human costs of technological advancement through a simple seasonal debate: real Christmas trees or plastic? Lured by the convenience of trees that "go back in the attic till next Christmas," customers bypass farmer Tuttle's genuine evergreens, leaving him unable to buy Mrs. Tuttle a gift. Just when the crop seems destined for the toothpick factory, a mysterious customer requests Tuttle's "finest tree," whisking it away amid telltale elfin footprints and leaving payment behind--a Christmas hat for Mrs. Tuttle. The combination of a small-businessman's economic crisis with this sweet but impractical gesture doesn't really work, and many children will be left wondering how the struggling Tuttles will manage without a livelihood. Despite this loose end, addressed only through a hint in the final painting, there are visual rewards in the Hassetts' folk art-style bustling townscapes and country scenes, which give all the clues needed to identify Mr. Tuttle's final customer. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Kids will love seeing the surprise turn of play in the art, which features an evergreen forest so lush and crisp one would swear it emits a pine scent." —Publishers Weekly, starred review Publishers Weekly, Starred

"Imaginative illustrations." —Horn Book Horn Book

"There are visual rewards in the Hassetts’ folk art–style bustling townscapes and country scenes." —Booklist Booklist, ALA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; None edition (October 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618509011
• ISBN-13: 978-0618509010
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 10.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #707,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars I LOVE this book!, November 26, 2010

By 

Kim - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Finest Christmas Tree (Paperback)

The Finest Christmas Tree is by far my favorite Christmas story! I love the story about Farmer Tuttle. It's a lovely story about believing in the magic of Christmas, and about being true to yourself and not giving up your dreams. The pictures are gorgeous. We read it all year round, but most especially, of course, at Christmas.