Cover Image: Calvin the Christmas Tree

Calvin the Christmas Tree

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Member Reviews

Calvin was a young Christmas Tree. Every December he watched Farmer Stumpstinkle take the biggest and nicest trees to the family shop to be sold and for businesses and families to take home and decorate.

One December Calvin was certain he was ready to be picked, so he fluffed up his branches and made himself taller. The farmer wasn’t convinced but his wife persuaded him to give the tree a chance. However, one by one the other trees were being sold and poor Calvin was still there.

What will happen to Calvin, is he going to be left all alone or will someone want him?

Calvin the Christmas Tree is a lovely tale of a tree who just wants to be like the big trees and be picked to be the centre of the decorations at someone’s house.

The book is quite old fashioned and has a classic feel to it. Even the illustrations look like they could represent the 50s, which to me made the book all that more heart-warming and beautiful.

The message in the book comes across strong and I love the little boy who sees Calvin and the nice comments he made, he certainly made me smile.

This is a lovely, sweet, festive read that would make a wonderful bedtime story or even a Christmas present.

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Calvin the Christmas Tree is a sweet, little picture book to help you get into the spirit of Christmas.

This is a great read that packs in lots of Christmas spirit into one book. Calvin is the littlest tree on a farm. He needs to grow big and strong to become the farmer's Christmas tree! When he gets cut down and is still little, he struggles to find a home. Eventually, he finds a loving family.

If you've ever seen Christopher the Christmas Tree (a cute, short television movie for Christmas time), this reminded me a lot of it! It was one of my favourites as a kid, so that story is burned into my brain.

I will say, even though this book is a delight, the cover kind of creeps me out. It has some uncanny valley going on with Calvin. Those eyes... the smile... the lack of nose... It's kinda weird.

Other than that, it's a great book! Bring on the holiday cheer!

Three out of five stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

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A beautiful traditional Christmas story. The story is lovely and the illustrations are stunning. With even Santa making an appearance, it's a quintessential Christmas book. Kids and adults alike will enjoy reading this together during the festive season.

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We loved the sweet story and pictures. When Calvin was picked for a Christmas tree was our favorite. The only thing we did not like was the farmers last name because it was hard to pronounce.

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I loved this story - it is the perfect read for this time of year.

The story was well written, it had a lovely flow to it and the illustrations really brought the book to life.

The ending was fab too and it left me feeling warm and cost inside - a lovely festive treat to read.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

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This was a cute tale about a the smallest tree that dreams of being taken home and used as a Christmas tree. He tries to stay positive and his friends boost him up while others try to drag him down but in the end Calvin prevails.. The pictures feel very old time vintage Christmas and you can just tell a lot of thought was put into the story and illustrations all together. I reccomend this to young readers that love books like Spookley the Pumpkin and the Little Engine that Could.

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If you are looking for a heartwarming story for the season, this is it! The author does a splendid job of getting the reader drawn in to the tree’s stories. Illustrations are great, and the plot is wonderful.

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A sweet tale about never giving up on your dreams. Well written. Not to cheesy and beautiful illustrations. A nice quick story. Lovely.

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This is the perfect book for someone who is around the ages of 7-9. This book was a cute Christmas book that was a very quick read. It was about a Christmas tree named Calvin, who was the last tree on the lot to be picked to be a Christmas tree because he was smaller and weaker than all the other trees. Finally, a little kid ended up wanting him and grew bigger and bigger each year until he became the biggest tree in the world. I think that this is a really good story to portray the fact that it doesn't matter how small you may be you still matter!

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Calvin the Christmas Tree was a beautiful read! There were so many lessons to be gained from reading about Calvin. My 6 year old granddaughter read it with me. She loved it and was moved to tears when he didn't get picked, and then when he was taken home, she was so happy. The illustrations were just beautiful. Calvin the Christmas Tree will be a classic in years to come.

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All those who have children already know for sure that children see ordinary things and the world around us in a completely different way from us adults. Children find joy and beauty in everyday and insignificant little things, friends in unusual places as well as magic on all sides. Just because we sometimes do not understand does not mean that it is strange or unnatural.
And although Christmas is an amazing time for all of us, the way children experience it is completely different. It is a time of celebration, of gifts, of immense joy. A special time that should be unforgettable. And while we all enjoy the magic of Christmas, watching wonderful movies on Netflix or Hallmark, this time is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the moments together, as a family, decorating, cooking, or reading together. Calvin the Christmas Tree: The Greatest Christmas Tree of All by Stephen G. Bowling is just a small part of the huge Christmas offer of children's books, but also a great choice for every child.
We chose the because of the beautiful cover, when my 3 year old son saw it, he immediately started shouting: ‘I want the tree! Let’s read the tree!’ As we began to read it, we began to discover a whole world of Christmas magic. The very story of the small tree, named Calvin who had great desires and aspirations is quite enough to encourage critical thinking in children, to show them that not always the size and appearance are crucial for success. The author has very skillfully inserted the message that everyone can succeed in what they want if they really work hard. Every effort pays off, sooner or later. What really delighted me as a parent and aroused a string of emotions in my little one is the author's very effective way of conveying the message that no one should be alone during the holidays, that everyone deserves to be loved and accepted as they are . And the fact that the tree is left outside, to be there for many years is absolutely fantastic. And although the story is about trees, the parallel with humans is very obvious.
From beginning to end, this book is full of messages and wisdom that will undoubtedly further stimulate the imagination and logical reasoning in children, plus it gives us as parents the opportunity to encourage discussion. For example, the difference between the trees can be used to discuss the difference between people, as well as to encourage children to accept the different as a nice addition to the world.
With fantastic illustrations that definitely attract attention and language structures that are fully adapted so that children can easily understand and follow the story, Calvin The Christmas Tree is a fantastic choice that you should definitely not miss. A book that is full of wisdom and in a real sense glorifies the beauty of this holiday.

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A heartwarming story with some great lessons for impressionable younger audiences. I loved the illustrations.

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A heartwarming story about a small Christmas tree who is never chosen to be sold and fulfil his Christmas destiny.
We really enjoyed this seasonal story and it’s underlying theme of your size doesn’t matter which is a lovely lesson for children, I liked the traditional style of illustrations too!

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A lovely children's book about Calvin the Christmas Tree, who try as he might ends up being too small to be picked by a family for their home at Christmas. As usual, in a cute children's story, there is a "baddy" in the shape of GrumpMeyer the big tree who tells him he isn't big or strong enough to hold ornaments. Boo Hiss!

However, he has the last laugh by being rescued by Raymond who believes no tree should be left alone at Christmas, gets planted in the garden, and goes on to meet a Jolly Old Man in a red suit. A beautiful story full of hope for any child who was never picked first for the rounders team at school (me) but went on to achieve a full, happy and useful life when they grew up.

Lovely illustrations which my grandchildren enjoyed and I know this will be a Christmas favourite every year now.

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Calvin wants to be a Christmas tree but he is considered too small. I was expecting a story with a message about size not being important, but Calvin was simply planted outside someone's house and grew bigger every year. That's how he became the most famous tree of all.

I liked the vintage feel of the illustrations as they reminded me of the Ladybird books I read as a child. However, I thought the story made little sense. Not for me.

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Calvin, a little Christmas tree, isn't chosen by anyone. but somehow, circumstances change and he soon fulfils his destiny.

The story is really sweet. You have a whole variety of tree characters. In a way, it is analogous to a small child being picked on at school until he/she discovers that what lies inside is more important than size. This is a really cute Christmas story and something the children will surely enjoy.

I am actually against real Christmas trees being cut every year and then thrown into the woodchipper after the festive season. So I was a bit apprehensive about this book as I didn't want anything that encourages tree cutting. But to my pleasant surprise, the book does two things right:
1. It does not mention the trees being chopped. Rather, it shows the tree's root balls being packed with earth in a burlap sack. (okay, this is just shown in the illustrations and not actually written, but it is still admirable.)
2. Rather than keeping the tree inside the house only for Christmas, the tree is shown as being planted and lasting for multiple Christmases.
I really appreciate these two factors from the author because they do go to show kids how our festivals mustn't include senseless short-term thinking and destruction of nature.

The illustrations of the trees are really wonderful but I wish the farmer and his wife were drawn a little more naturally. The farmer's wife looks more like a supermodel than someone who works hard on the farm.

Overall though, a wonderful story with a wonderful learning.

I received an advance review copy of the book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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This is just the kind of feel good Christmas book you want to read snuggled up with your kids during the holiday season. It follows the quintessential story of the tiny underdog tree dreaming of big things and never giving up. My children loved both the writing as well as the illustrations, and were cheering little Calvin on the whole time!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

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Calvin the Christmas Tree was a wonderful story. I can absolutely see myself adding this gem to my nieces and nephews stockings. I actually teared up for Calvin wanting so badly to be picked. The illustrations were lovely and engaging. The story flowed and was easy to follow. Highly recommend for young children.

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No one should be alone for Christmas.

On Stumpstinkle's farm there are trees that are excited for Christmas. One such tree is Calvin. He is little compared to the other trees but he has something that they do not have which is hope. There is something old fashioned about Calvin's story. The illustrations and the hope of Christmas. A great reminder for us all.

A special Thank you to BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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I really loved this special and magical Christmas book for children. It is about a little Christmas tree called Calvin who lives in a Christmas tree farm and is waiting to see if he will be picked to become a Christmas tree. Will he get his wish? The story is so beautiful, the characters are really cute and fun and the illustrations are amazing. This is one of the best Christmas books I have read. My daughter and I both loved this heartwarming book very much and we will read it again!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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