How can one Christmas tree bring joy to seven households? Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree is an old favorite that children love. Mr. Willowby is a millionaire. His Christmas tree arrives by special delivery. It’s the biggest tree he’s ever seen. In fact, it’s so big that the tree bends at the top. The butler solves the problem by chopping off the top. Instead of throwing it out he gives it to the upstairs maid. The small tree top is actually too big for the maid’s room and she snips off the very top. She sets it out in the trash. This smaller tree top is found by the gardener who brings it home to his wife. She cuts off the very top and tosses it out the window. This ever smaller top is found by a young bear. His mother trims off the top. This goes on until the reader sees a mouse family enjoying the tiniest of trees complete with a star made of cheese. The last illustration shows Mr. Willowby dozing in his chair beside his Christmas tree. In a tiny mouse hole behind him are the silhouettes of three mice dancing around their tiny tree.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree was originally published in 1963 with ink drawings and green tinted pictures. It’s since been reissued as a full color hard cover. They have the kept the clever rhyming text the same and the drawings are the same, just in vibrant color.
Very observant children will notice that the illustrations of the ever shrinking tree top don’t quite match up. The mama bear chops off two very top rows and when the father fox finds the tree it has three rows. When the mother fox chops off the top two rows she has three left. And the tree top does seem to grow just a little each time. I’ve always explained that it’s a kind of special Christmas magic.
It’s a great picture book for young readers or to read aloud.
For More Christmas Picture Books See:
Arthur’s Christmas Cookies – Lillian Hoban
Christmas in the Big Woods – Laura Ignalls Wilder
Christmas Tree Memories – Aliki