The Little Fir Tree [Paperback]

Margaret Wise Brown (Author), Jim LaMarche (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: September 22, 2009 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years

Once there was a tree that stood in a field away from the other trees. It longed to be part of the forest—or part of anything at all. After many lonely years, its dream came true. And the little fir tree's life changed forever!

They put golden tinsel on his branches
And golden bells
And green icicles
And silver stars.
And soon—o shining wonder—the little fir tree was . . .
A Christmas tree

Celebrate the true spirit of Christmas with heartwarming text by the author of Goodnight Moon and exquisite, glowing paintings by award-winning artist Jim LaMarche.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brimming with Christmas spirit, Brown's quiet story is timeless, like all classics. So too are Caldecott Medalist Cooney's colorful pictures of woodland wonders in all seasons, huggable children and a lame boy's loving father. Every year at Christmas, the man digs up the little fir tree and takes it to decorate in his son's room where the boy's friends gather to sing carols. Then the father takes the tree to replant it in the meadow. As Christmas Eve approaches years later, and no one comes to bring it to the house, the little fir is lonely and sad. But he hears singing, soon he sees the children he remembers, especially the bedridden boy, coming close. The youngster is now walking and bringing the holiday cheer with him and his friends, to the small tree that had brought him so much joy. The words and easy arrangements of the songs are integrated into the story.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. In this striking edition of Brown's tender Christmas story, the illustrator of The Elves and the Shoemaker (2003) provides lush new paintings to replace Barbara Cooney's 1954 artwork. Although the omission of carol music and lyrics removes the original's sing-along possibilities, the story is unchanged, recounting how a living pine tree is brought indoors each Christmas and how it bears witness to the miraculous healing of a sick little boy. Even if children are confused by the nature of the bedridden boy's "lame leg," which readers in the 1950s probably interpreted as polio, Brown's distinctive, rhythmic storytelling ("Seven times the Summer had droned its hot bee-buzzing days around him. Seven Autumns had whirled their falling leaves and milkweed parachutes past his head") reaffirms her legendary status in children's literature. Casting an equally potent spell are LaMarche's acrylic-and-pencil scenes, evoking the picturesque harmony of a Currier & Ives print. Topped off with a jacket proclaiming "By the author of Goodnight Moon," this lovely treatment guarantees an expanded audience for Brown's seasonal tale. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition (September 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064435296
• ISBN-13: 978-0064435291
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 0.2 x 10.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 22 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her life, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. Even though she died over 45 years ago, her books still sell very well. Margaret loved animals. Most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She liked to write books that had a rhythm to them. Sometimes she would put a hard word into the story or poem. She thought this made children think harder when they are reading. She wrote all the time. There are many scraps of paper where she quickly wrote down a story idea or a poem. She said she dreamed stories and then had to write them down in the morning before she forgot them. She tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story, which often isn't the same way an adult would tell a story. She also taught illustrators to draw the way a child saw things. One time she gave two puppies to someone who was going to draw a book with that kind of dog. The illustrator painted many pictures one day and then fell asleep. When he woke up, the papers he painted on were bare. The puppies had licked all the paint off the paper. Margaret died after surgery for a bursting appendix while in France. She had many friends who still miss her. They say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. Margaret saw herself as something else - a writer of songs and nonsense.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweetheart of a story November 2, 2008

By J. Kennedy-cummings

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

You may remember this one from your childhood and now it's time for the grandchildren to have a chance. This is a before Christmas read full of gentle life lessons of kindness and true Christmas spirit. A great story to read and reread. This one will be a family classic to pull out every year and be passed from parent to child for years to come.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching and moving story January 30, 2006

By Nibal Petro Henderson

Format:Hardcover

What a beautiful book! I just read this to my son and it brought tears to my heart. A touching and moving story about the love of a father. To say this is a book just about Christmas is to miss the point entirely - it is a book about how the Christmas spirit is alive and well throughout the year and a reminder of how we should celebrate that love daily.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, sweet story July 17, 2011

By Richard B. Green VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was one of five books I selected as a gift for a young couple just having had their first child. Believing in the "power" of books, believing in an early exposure to words and pictures, I felt this lovely story by Margaret Wise Brown would be a perfect choice. Not having read the book previously, I made sure I did so before sending this group of selections off. Parents and child will love the story and accompanying illustrations.