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 Night
Tree
By Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ted Rand
Review
by: Christa
J Koch
Owner/ Operator of
www.preschooleducation.com
Every family has their own holiday traditions. This is a very
touching story told by a little boy, about his family's traditions. Nina
(his sister), Mom, Dad, and the little boy all participate in this holiday
tradition. Late Christmas Eve night they drive out to Luke's Forest. "Dad says it's not really a forest, just a nice forgotten place where
our town ends." They walk into the forest with a blanket, a box, and a
lantern. "Here's our tree." Dad says. The family opens the box to
reveal popcorn chains, apples and tangerines with strings on them, balls of
sunflower seeds. The family excitedly, together decorated the tree. They
even "scattered shelled nuts and bread crumbs' and pieces of apple
underneath for the little creatures who can't climb very well." Then the
family sits back on the blanket with the lantern out and cups of hot
chocolate to warm their bellies and hands. They admired their tree. They had
hoped that a few animals would come by, but Dad said they were shy. The
family sings a few Christmas songs (well Nina picked Old Mac Donald had a
farm.) before they left.
"Later in bed" the little boy
thinks about the next day when aunt, uncles and cousins will be at their
house. Then he thinks about Luke's forest. He thinks about the animals
eating Christmas dinner. "And they're all there together, singing their
own Christmas day songs around our tree."
Ted Rand
does an excellent job illustrating this beautiful story. The illustrations
are done in watercolors with additional chalk and grease pencil on
illustration board. The illustrations bring beauty to this fabulously
touching family Christmas story.
I recommend this story for preschoolers and young elementary aged
children.
Buy
Now
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