Pick a pine tree by Patricia Toht

Ill. by Jarvis. Walker Books, 2017. ISBN 9781406360608
"Pick a pine tree from the lot -
Slim and tall or short and squat.
Long, straight limbs
Or branches bent . . . .
Mmm! Just smell that piney scent!" Publisher
I absolutely loved this picture book. It bought back many wonderful memories of my own childhood - my sister perched up the tree with Mum directing her as to which branch to cut and then the difficult task of trying to make the said branch stand somewhat nicely. This book takes us all on a familiar journey that we all venture on at this time of year. It starts with choosing the perfect tree and strapping it to the roof to ensure it arrives home safely. On arrival home, the arduous task of rearranging the furniture to allow the tree to have pride of place. The beautiful rhyming in the book will provide ample opportunities for prediction as it is read aloud. Excitement is built as each stage is reached and then the spreading of Christmas cheer reinforces the true meaning of this special time of year. This will be a welcome addition to the Christmas collection and it will be sure to catch the eye of the reader with the sparkly writing on the cover. Many children will be able to connect to the story with this yearly ritual being performed every year right around the world.
Kathryn Schumacher