Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (Hardcover)

~ Robert Barry (Author, Illustrator) "Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree Came by special delivery..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Mr. Willowby, the unwitting hero of this Christmas classic, looks quite a bit like the little mustachioed mascot from Monopoly. But as befits a Yuletide tale, this diminutive millionaire turns out to be a good bit more generous.

The Christmas tree in question shows up at Mr. Willowby's home by special order, aboard a big pink truck: "Full and fresh and glistening green--The biggest tree he had ever seen." But it's just a little too big, so he asks his butler, Baxter, to trim off the top few feet that brush up against the parlor ceiling. Baxter realizes that this snipped-off top would make a perfect little tree for "Miss Adelaide, Mr. Willowby's upstairs maid." But she, too, must clip off the top of her tree... which then ends up with Timm, the gardener. Timm's trimming goes on to Barnaby Bear, the tippy-top of Barnaby's tree ends up with Frisky Fox and family, and then Benjamin Rabbit finds the top few inches that Mrs. Fox snipped off. And so it goes, until soon the whole countryside learns that it's simply "grand to have a tree--Exactly like Mr. Willowby."

There's many a lesson to be taken from this tale, about recycling and supply-side economics just for starters. But the cheerful illustrations of Robert Barry ensure that you'll have fun just watching as the ever-tinier tree gets passed on to ever-tinier families. (Ages 5 to 8) --Paul Hughes

From Booklist

Ages 3-7. First published in 1963 with ink drawings and green washes, Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree now reappears in a slightly larger format with full-color washes. The ink drawings are as jaunty as ever, and even more cheerful with their brilliant tints glowing against the white pages. The unchanged, rhyming text tells the tale of a Christmas tree too tall for Mr. Willowby's parlor. The butler whomps off the top and gives it to the maid, who finds even the treetop too tall for her table. So she chops off the top of her little tree, which is retrieved by the gardener--and so on. In the end, the one tall tree has provided smaller Christmas trees for seven homes, from Mr. Willowby's mansion, where Mr. Willowby dozes contentedly in his parlor, to the cozy mouse hole behind Mr. Willowby's chair, where three little mice dance around their tiny tree. Simple, satisfying, and memorable, this old favorite's colorful reappearance gives readers yet another reason to celebrate the season. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers (October 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385327218
• ISBN-13: 978-0385327213
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,150 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite christmas book, October 20, 2000

By	Diane (Belleville, KS USA) - See all my reviews

As a child of about 6 or 7, my parents got me Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. I would make my mom read it to me over and over as well as hearing "Captain Kangaroo" read it every year on his show. Now, I am a 41 year old mother of three, and I still have my original copy, as well as copies for my three children and am ordering a copy for my brand new nephew. Reading Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree has become a family tradition at my house. Of course, I don't have to read it - I have been able to recit it word for word for years!! This is a wonderful "snuggle up with a child in your arms" book that you will enjoy reading for years. Maybe it will become a family tradition at your house too!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story for all ages, May 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (Turtleback)

I loved this book as a child and am still enchanted today! My children want me to read it year round. Five stars are not enough for this book. Not only is the story entertaining, but it teaches recyclying on a young childs level. If you want a book to pass down through many generations, I strongly recommend Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Childhood Treasure finally Found!, November 4, 2000

By	Janice Fisher (Spring Valley, MN USA) - See all my reviews

As many of the other reviewers, I loved this story as a child. I am one of 8 children, though, and as our childhood books were being given to us as adults, the only copy we owned went to one of my older sisters who originally owned it. For years the rest of us have been searching in vain to find copies for ourselves, and I was tickled pink today to discover that it has been re-printed! It is a classic tale of the spirit of Christmas that will forever be my favorite Christmas story. I have already emailed my siblings to let them know the good news, and I intend to get copies for my nieces and nephews this year! You'll be making a great choice if you select this book!