Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Foreword Publicity and will receive a small stipend for this post.

What kind of Christmas tree do you have? Is it real or fake? How big is it? Christmas trees are something I have been discussing this year with my sisters since we spend the holidays at our house on Cape Cod and none of us actually live there. My sister decided to get and decorate a tree there again this year since she plans to spend New Year's there as well. To learn more about the history of Christmas trees be sure to check out this post and to learn about our tree traditions read here. Today I am going to share a wonderful picture book about the small Christmas tree that feels forgotten. The book is Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree by Richard Wagner and illustrated by Sydni Kruger. This book is being released in March of 2023 so it will be for next Christmas! I am including a round-up of Christmas tree crafts and there is a giveaway at the end!

From the Publisher:

Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree | Written by Richard Wagner & Illustrated by Sydni Kruger

Ages 3+ | 38 Pages | Publisher: Mascot Kids | ISBN-13: 9781645437086

Publisher’s Synopsis: The world is not always a perfect place. Needles, a scraggly little tree, must endure criticism, laughter, and setbacks to realize his goal of becoming a beautiful Christmas tree.

This is a story of dreams, desires, hope, determination, and never giving up. It also offers the observation that what others think is beautiful may not really matter. Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder and paired with the spirit of Christmas, maybe we can make the world just a little more perfect!

You can purchase it at:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Wagner grew up in Southern California. When he was fourteen years old, a business friend of his father’s had a small Christmas tree delivered as a thank-you. Their family already had a large tree decorated in the house. Not being able to find anyone who needed a tree, that small Christmas tree stood outside by itself for the remainder of the Christmas holiday. Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree is a tribute to that little tree and what might have been, but more importantly, to all the beauty, goodness, and hope that Christmas brings to us all. Mr. Wagner continues to reside in Southern California with his wife and two children.

For more information, visit https://needlesthechristmastree.com.

From Me:

Let's pull out the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. This story is about a tiny, scrawny tree, named Needles, that dreams of being a Christmas tree for a family. It is such a sweet story. The reader feels for Needles and wants him to have his dreams come true. However, the other trees tell him he is too small, and people won't want him. He doesn't give up his hope. He doesn't give up his hope when he is the last tree on the lot.

I love how Needles answers the dream of a young, sick girl and she answers his. His size is perfect for the girl since she is in a wheelchair, so she can reach all of his branches and the top to decorate him. It is truly a story that shares that there is someone/something for everyone and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is a perfect story to remind us that Christmas is not supposed to be so commercialized and so big and expensive. I hope you will check it out when it becomes available!

Christmas Tree Craft Round-Up:

To go with this book, I thought I would share some Christmas tree crafts for the kids to make. I divided them into two groups--paper/cardboard crafts and everything else. Check these out.