School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-A boy tells how his family's Christmas tree farm requires yearlong work, from planting seedlings to weeding, pruning, measuring, cutting, and baling. Energetic, naive gouache-and-acrylic illustrations accompany the narrative, which will give children an inside look at the workings of a family-owned business.-Susan Patron, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A little boy helps his grandfather on the family Christmas tree farm in this exploratory look at the way real Christmas trees are grown. In first-person narrative, the child describes their journey to the woods, cutting down trees with a chain saw and setting the display of trees up for business. As the narrative unfolds, some customers purchase the cut trees while others tramp through the woods to cut down their own. Following pages describe the growth cycle of the trees, with the entire family helping with planting and pruning. The story concludes with the family's decorating of their own trees: an inside tree with traditional trimmings and an outdoor living tree decorated with food for the birds and wild animals. Weber's illustrations in an appealing, primitive style were researched on a Christmas tree farm in New England, and she includes tips for taking care of a Christmas tree in the home within one of the illustrations. The little boy's perky dog is included in each spread for a charming touch. An appendix includes Christmas tree legends and facts as well as a timeline. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Grandpa and his grandson, who narrates this story, drive a tractor through woods, cutting down evergreens for the Tree Hut, which will open after Thanksgiving. Most of the tree farm's customers cut their own trees, but some buy those off the lot. Everyone gets Grandma's cookies. Purmwell packs the friendly story with plenty of information. Tree farming is year-long work. The family plants the seedlings, trims and prunes, measures and tags. But on Christmas Eve, the Tree Hut closes, and the family gathers for an old-fashioned holiday--complete with tree trimming. The text makes the book interesting; the art gives it charm. The simply drawn, sometimes diminutive characters exude warmth and exemplify the work that goes into any kind of farming. Weber uses the evergreen motif to best advantage, dotting every spread with trees while still managing to show variety among the species. The barrage of green, mostly set against white snow, gives the book an irresistible freshness. Pair it with Sandra Jordan's photo-essay of the same name. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2006 Booklist
