Overview
The forest is hushed for the animals' Christmas. The elephant brings a fir tree from far away, and the animals gather silently together. . . .This simple but beautifully told story by noted author Jan Wahl is now back in print. Richly textured paintings by Caldecott Medalist Leonard Weisgard celebrate the majesty and wonder of Christmas.
The animals cooperate in decorating a great fir tree in celebration of Christmas.
Synopsis
From the Golden Books archives comes a classic Christmas tale by a master storyteller and one of the great Golden Books illustrators.
A forest is hushed for the animals' Christmas. The elephant brings a fir tree from far away, and the animals gather silently. . . . The kangaroos decorate the tree with pinecones, and the giraffe places a star at the top.
“Now, as it happened before, the lion lay down with the lamb. . . .”
This beautifully told story by noted author Jan Wahl is brought to life with richly textured paintings by Caldecott Medalist Leonard Weisgard, celebrating the majesty and wonder of Christmas. It was originally published in 1988.
Publishers Weekly
Leonard Weisgard's pictures of a bipedal animal cast continue to light up The Golden Christmas Tree by Jan Wahl, a 1988 picture book reissued as a Big Little Golden Book. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Leonard Weisgard's pictures of a bipedal animal cast continue to light up The Golden Christmas Tree by Jan Wahl, a 1988 picture book reissued as a Big Little Golden Book. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.Children's Literature
The animals of the world cooperate with one another to decorate the fir tree that elephant has brought. Tiger strings purple berries while the baboons paint pinecones. Monkeys climb in and around the tree to place the ornaments while giraffe puts the star on top. Of course, the lion lays down with the lamb. That night, they quietly gather around the tree and gaze up into the sky, waiting. Then there is a flash of golden glitter and each animal makes a wish before dancing until dawn. The miracle of Christmas and the joy of the season permeate this story. The matter-of-fact telling implies that what occurs is most natural at Christmas. Weisgard's animals have wonderful personality and dignity befitting this tale. Originally published in 1988, and now available as a Big Little Golden Book, it provides a refreshing perspective on the themes of friendship and celebration. 2003 (orig. 1988), Golden Book/Random House, Ages 2 to 5.— Sharon Salluzzo