Customer Reviews

Once There Was A Christmas Tree

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Every year before Christmas Eve dinner, our family reads a children's book about Christmas (this year, my youngest niece was 4 and oldest nephew 9). I bought this book for the occasion because it made me cry in the bookstore when I was reading it. Four animal families share a Christmas tree - the spirit of the season. Everyone absolutely loved it and took turns reading it aloud for a wonderful memory that I'll always cherish.

"Once There Was A Christmas Tree", by Jerry Smath, Cartwheel Books, 2005.

This book, in my humble opinion, is based upon the old adage, "It is more blessed to give than to receive".

Christmas is coming and Mrs. Bear asks Mr. Bear to get a Christmas tree. Being a bear, of course, he cuts down a tree that is too big for the house, and the illustration shows the tip of tree bending down from the ceiling. The solution to this problem is to cut the tree in half and give one half to Mr. Fox. Of course, Mr. Fox finds he only needs half of that half of a tree, and the fox gives half a tree to Mr. Rabbit. Mr. Rabbit is home alone, a situation familiar to many of us who are retired. Mr. Rabbit is happy to get the tree, and, whilst decorating the tree, the rabbit discovers a family of mice living under the floor boards. In the end , each animal family, (all nicely illustrated) has a wonderful Christmas, especially Mr. Rabbit, who has discovered he is not alone!

The book has a transparent plastic cover, through which you can see and maneuver a shiny gel, which is filled with red, green and other colored tiny balls. If you work at it, you can "decorate" the green tree with the gel and those ornaments, and Mr. Bear is standing there, ready to cap your efforts with a golden star.

Wonderful!

...and mine, too! We have been reading this story for two Christmases now, and my toddler just loves it. She wants it every evening during the Christmas season. At 2 1/2, she can quote the book almost verbatim. It is truly one of the sweetest stories I have ever read, with a wonderful message. I recommended it to my daughter's preschool teacher, who then read it to the class. This book just makes you feel, warm, happy, and full of love. I have purchased additional copies to keep (as ours is getting very well loved!) and to share.

This is a sweet story about sharing. The illustrations are to die for cute!

Several animal families share their Christmas tree. This book shows, in such a sweet way, the joy of sharing. The illustrations of the animal families are adorable.

This delightful children's book brought tears to my eyes. Why didn't I think of it? Sharing a Christmas tree until only the tip was left. It packs a powerful punch, for the child to whom it is read, and for the adult reading it to him or her.

Not only is the "snowglobe" feature on the cover really neat, but this is a cute book with a really sweet message that Christmas is about sharing. My son loves it, and I love reading it to him. Over and over and over and over... ;)