The Little Crooked Christmas Tree by Michael Cutting illustrated by Ron Broda

Image source: https://www.foyles.co.uk/12-Books-of-Christmas

Over the next 12 days I plan to talk about one Christmas book each day - The 12 Books of Christmas.

I am beginning with a very old book - The Little Crooked Christmas Tree. I imagine this may have arrived in my school library in 1992 but I am sorry to say it had not read it until this week. Everything about this Christmas story is special. The fate of the little crooked Christmas tree, the kindness of the farmer who rescues the tree and most of all the fabulous paper cut illustrations.

"He was sure that he was a tree, but he didn't know what a Christmas tree was, or even what Christmas was."

The little tree waits patiently for seven years. Each year he asks visitors to the Christmas tree farm these two important questions. The goose doesn't know, she flies south for the winter. The squirrel doesn't know, he hibernates through the winter. Then an exhausted dove arrives. She has lost her nest and needs to lay her eggs. The little fur tree offers her softest branches and over time three baby doves arrive safely. The little tree forgets to stand tall and straight and as the weeks go by it develops a hump in its trunk.  This means when it is time for the farmer to harvest the trees, cutting them down to sell, the little tree is overlooked because it is too crooked. The seasons change and the dove and her babies need to fly away but before they leave the little tree asks those urgent questions once again.

The dove explains the Christmas story celebrating the birth of Jesus. She also explains that Christmas trees are cut down, decorated, admired but "then, when the holiday is over, the lights and ornaments are put away and the poor tree is thrown out, alone in the snow. By saving me and my children you have grown crooked, but now you are safe."

The cycle begins again. More trees are planted, seasons come and go and the tree becomes more and more neglected and lonely. Finally the dove returns and the summer begins. One day the farmer digs up the little tree and transports it to a real garden. The next Christmas is a truly special one for the little tree and no one seems to even notice the crooked hump anymore.

Here is a quote from a Canadian reviewer:
"The hump on the little tree allows first-time children's author Cutting to explore three equally important issues —the meaning of Christmas (and why a Christmas tree?), the recognition of each person's importance despite imperfec­tions (the little tree is snubbed by humans and fellow trees alike), and the ecological considerations of harvesting trees for a once-in-a-lifetime job! All three of these issues are dealt with in a subtle manner, accompanied by delight­ful photographs of the bright cut-paper illustrations ... "

Here is a film of the whole book narrated by Christopher Plummer.  I know I told you this is a very old book and of course it is out of print but it might still be found in your local or school library here in Australia and in Canada.

I would follow this book with another Christmas favourite which features a special tree - The Silver Christmas Tree by Pat Hutchins.