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Friday, July 20, 2012

A Christmas Tree for Pyn



Author:  Olivier Dunrea
Illustrator: Olivier Dunrea
Title: A Christmas Tree for Pyn
Publication: October 13, 2011
Publisher: Philomel
Genre: Children, Holiday
Pages: 32
Audience: 3 and up
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Public Library

Synopsis:
Pyn is a young girl who really wants a Christmas tree for Christmas. Oother, Pyn's father is a man of few words and is not an easy man to live with. He wants Pyn to call him "Oother" instead of Papa. Pyn also does all the cooking and cleaning. All she really wants is a Christmas tree. She asks her father again and again. Finally, he says, "We'll see." On Christmas Eve, her father leaves out with an ax. Pyn is excited, but decides she will go out on her own and find a Christmas tree. She is so small she gets buried in the snow. Her father finds her and is so touched by her determination that they set out together to find the perfect Christmas tree. Pyn has kept a drawer full of odds and ends and various items she has found in nature to help create the most beautiful Christmas tree. Her father is so moved that he allows Pyn to call him Papa, and allows her to top the tree with a bird he had made for Pyn's mother. Together they allow the Spirit of Christmas to move them and create a beautiful Christmas tree.

My thoughts: 
I know, I know. It's summer, it's July. Some stores and radio stations do sales this time of year called Christmas in July. In honor of that, I'm doing a review on a Christmas book in July. Actually, I had this book on hold at the Public Library over Christmas, but things got too hectic and I forgot about it. Also, I thought it would be better for parents with children to share it with their children. I don't have any, and I could wait to read the book. I had read I believe on Huffington Post that this book went beyond Santa, presents, and the material things of the holiday and showed the love and life is all about the simple, precious moments. This book is so adorable! The artwork is so cute. Pyn in super cute. I just want to scoop her up and hug her because she is so precious. Her father was not my favorite character. His name is Oother and wants Pyn to call him Oother. I kept calling him oaf or Olaf (the villain in The Series of Unfortunate Events) in my head, just because he was not a nice guy. However, Pyn wants a Christmas tree and she is getting one. I love that her father and her go on the adventure to find it. Her excitement over it is contagious. I was excited for her. The ornaments she creates out of things from nature is so creative and impressive. She isn't sad because she does not have glass or shiny ornaments to put on the tree. She is so happy she has a tree to decorate and make beautiful with the things she has available. It really is a heartwarming book and a book to share with children and family during the holidays.



5 comments:

  1. I love that you were calling the father Olaf. I probably would have done the same. It's nice to see a story that really shows what the Christmas season is about. I sing and listen to Christmas songs year round so posting about a Christmas book when it is 100 degrees out is refreshing. Thank you so much for your review.

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  2. Hahaha. Have you read The Series of Unfortunate Events? I read them with my niece. We were competing with one another to see who would finish first. I love this Christmas book. If I ever have children this will be a book I will own and read over and over again until they are begging me to stop. The artwork is cute and I just absolutely love it. I love Christmas music too. I have been trying to stay away from my Glee Holiday CD.

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    1. I've read most of them and Olaf is mean. I will have to borrow your Glee Holiday CD.

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  3. This sounds like a good book for my neice.

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