Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?: A Tree for All Seasons Book

Who would like a Christmas tree?
That all depends on when you ask.
In January, in February, in March, in April . . .
the black-capped chickadees, the field mice, the white-tailed deer, and the woodcock, come to claim the tree.
They want it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for shelter and protection, for a place to start a new family.
Can a Christmas tree be all that?
Yes, and even more . . .
The year has just begun!

Children's Literature

Life on a Christmas tree farm is busy year round and it is not just the farmer who has things to do. The black-capped chickadees count on the Christmas trees for three meals a day, as do the field mice that never hibernate and nibble the bark under the snow safe from predators. From the white-tailed deer that snacks early in the morning as well as late in the afternoon, and the robins that sit atop the Christmas trees and sing as the sun comes up each day, the tree farm is bustling with life well beyond the farmer and her family. Wild turkeys, wild flowers, monarch butterflies, and even garden spiders depend on the Christmas tree farm for food and protection during the year. But what keeps the Christmas tree farm going? Each December families go to the plantation to choose their special Christmas tree. The farmer provides hot cider and spicy Christmas cookies for each family. This book is a great reminder to every one of the practical resources that trees provide to wildlife. At the end of the book there is a description of how the farmer takes care of her Christmas tree farm. Educationally speaking, this book earns an "A". The colorful watercolor and ink illustrations complete the text, making it a more than just a nonfiction piece—it is also a story-telling gem. Reviewer: Debby Willett