Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree

This book was one of my favorites as a child back in the early 70’s. I still have it. Was thrilled to see it reproduced in color! It’s the same illustrations, just in color. I was so pleased that was the ONLY change. It’s a treasure I can’t wait to share with my grandchildren.

This review was posted at Goodreads, as well as My Website.From the publisher: "Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree Came by special delivery. Full and fresh and glistening green-- The biggest tree he'd ever seen." That was the trouble. The tree was so tall, it couldn't stand up straight in his parlor. Mr. Willowby asked his butler to chop off the top of the tree. What happens to the treetop? Where will it be for Christmas? Snuggle up with this story and follow along through a forest full of friendly creatures who get to share in a bit of Christmas joy.The girls gathered around, and had egg nog and rice crispy treats while I read...They ran around and played for about 15 minutes, while I began this post, then called them back to get their thoughts, after close to 30 minutes, to check their retention.(**The only one who didn't play was the 6 year old. She came up and asked if she could have the book to read on her own, instead of going with the other three to play in one of their bedrooms. I was shocked to see how magnetically drawn she was to the book, and how serious she was about having the book to herself, as opposed to going to play with the group. She sat alone, quietly, in a corner of the living room, reading it aloud quietly, without be distracted by the running sisters.)--------------------------------------------------11 Year Old: I liked the title. I really liked the bear. The illustrations were great. I like how the moral of the story is to recycle, and pass on what you don't use. Humans and animals both did. I liked how it started at Mr. Willowby's house, then it made it all the way back to the mice in his house.9 Year Old: (special needs) I loved that it went from Mr Willowby, then the maid, the bear, the fox, the bunny, the mouse especially. Because when Mr. Willowby was sleeping, the mice were dancing in the hole in his house. I loved the details. This is funny how they all cut off the top of the tree, except the mouse, it was just right. I loved how they all chopped the top of the remaining tree. The plot of the story is that you should always cut off the top of your Christmas tree for other animals to use it.8 Year Old: I liked that Mr Willowby got his tree delivered, instead of having to go get it. The top didn't fit, so he snipped it off, and others kept getting the top, and cut it off the top, and everyone has a Christmas tree after everyone shared it, and cut the top off. The mice had a cheese star, and they were happy because they were next to Mr Willowby's tree, where their mouse hole was. I loved all of the pictures.6 Year Old: I liked the pictures. I liked reading it myself. It's funny that the mice had a cheese star, because mice love cheese. It was funny that Mr. Willowby was asleep when the mice were dancing around. It is funny that everyone kept chopping off the top of the tree. My favorite pictures were of the rabbits. I thought it was weird that the animals talked. It reminded me of "Little Bear". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Bear_TV_series) I really liked how both trees, on the cover, and in the back, were decorated, and I liked Mr. Willowby's outfit, it was silly.------------------------------------This is a quality book. Sturdy Hardcover! Quality paper, quality printing, ink is clear and dark, illustrations are top notch. I paid $9.57 at Amazon, and the product alone was worth the price, and the lesson it teaches priceless.The girls laughed at every page, and loved the illustrations, to the point of being entranced by them. The girls were simply overjoyed to have this book read to them, and I myself was chocked up for the majority of the book, realizing the lesson it was teaching about sharing/recycling, and the joy that one mans trash became when it became a treasure found. I myself was reminded how lost the "Christmas Spirit" is more and more becoming as the "spirit of consumerism" is taking its place. The "Christ" in Christmas is just about gone, and now Santa is on the run, as the presents themselves are becoming even more important than Santa's call for children to be good, because Santa is watching.I looked long and hard for a Christmas book that would appeal to my children's ages, as well as something that taught a valuable lesson. I read through a lot of reviews online of all the top 10, top 20, blah blah,blahs... Until one fellow said "All these books are so played out, and besides, I still like Mr Willowby's Christmas Tree, even after all these years." And that is how I found it, because someone had something fresh, that beat out the top 10/20/50.The story is simple, Mr. Willowby buys a Christmas tree, it is too big, so he cuts off the top, and gives the top to his upstairs maid, and from there, it is discarded, as no longer of use to the main household. But alas, a gardener finds it, and being too big, he in turn cuts the top off, and discards it, for a string of different animals to find, being too big as an even smaller animal finds it, the tops being cut off and discarded, until the remainder of the tree comes full circle back to Mr. Willowby's house, where the mice are seen dancing through the hole in the house wall, as Mr. Willowby sleeps. I would recommend this book for your little ones as a Christmas read, it is worth the investment to buy it, and pack it away with the Xmas ornaments, to reuse every year.

This charming little story describes how the top of a Christmas tree, lopped off because the tree was too tall for the ceiling, becomes a tree for smaller and smaller animals as each animal takes some of the top. Very sweet; bright pictures. Friend's 4 year old enjoyed the story.

This book instantly became one of my top 10 all time favorite picture books.The length of the story was on the longer side of my 2 & 3 year old's attention span, however this rhyming story kept them engaged and guessing all the way to the end better than any other book this length, not once did I have to redirect anyone's attention back to the story. I was also impressed the rhyming didn't feel forced or overly chanty, the sentences all made sense, not made up rhymes like Dr. Seuss can have.I know books can be very objective of what people like but I highly suggest this cute story, it is just a happy Christmas themed story not suggesting either a Christian or secular Christmas that I think would fit into everyone's Christmas time library.

Great message about using what you need, and it doesn’t mean you should trash what you don’t! Someone can always use it!

I loved this book as a child and now my daughter loves it as well. Super cute story!

Fell in love with the TV version starring Robert Downy, Jr.

This was a gift for our grandchildern . They love stories and this is a good one.

A lovely book for younger children (up to age 7). The story is repetitive, which put off the older children I have read it with. The story in itself it lovely though. Mr Willowby buys a Christmas tree that is too big, so he chops the top off and throws it away. A bear that passes by takes it home, but it is too big for his cave, so he chops the top off and throws it away. A rabbit that finds it takes it home - you get the gist. In the end all the animals in the forest have a christmas tree.

My 10 year old son loves this Christmas book! What a fun Christmas story of a tree!

The book was excellent,This was recommend from a colleague, so glad I bought it, it will definately be a Christmas traditional read from now on!Definately recommend!

My children absolutely love this book. Great story and beautifully illustrated.

Wonderful