The Last Christmas Tree

by Stephen Krensky

A "heartwarming, magical tale"--SLJ

Among the grand balsam firs and pines at the Christmas tree lot is a little hunched tree that is missing several branches. Still, no tree is more filled with the spirit of Christmas. As the weeks go by, many others are selected but still the little tree keeps up its hope of finding the perfect family. On Christmas Eve, now the last tree in the lot, a special visitor (Ho, Ho, Ho!) might just give the little tree what it wants most of all.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Storytime, Fiction, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beginning of the book we can see that this little tree is much smaller that its neighbors at the tree lot. Our tree looks alarmingly like the one in "A Charlie Brown Christmas." As the days of December go by, the tree is hopeful. Still, on Christmas Eve, it is still there. The owner slaps a "Free" sign on its branches and leaves the empty lot. What happens next will be a delightful surprise and our tree will be happily at home by Christmas morning. Whimsical, merry and bright illustrations accompany this heartwarming tale.

[Joann M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little story..every parent should read this to their child/children.

[Elizabeth Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I have tears in my eyes. What a charming tribute to the spirit of Christmas!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAH! This book would have made me want to vomit with excitement when i was a kid.

[Donna Mork · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable book about a scrawny Christmas tree who keeps his hopes up, and gets the best Christmas ever.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm such a sap. I have to admit that I got a little choked up at the end. Sweet book about a scraggly little tree hoping to find a home in time for Christmas.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will the last pine tree find a home for Christmas? A totally sweet book with nice illustrations that help to tell the story to a group.

[Hapzydeco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicately illustrated. This story will strike an empathic cord when read at Christmastime. Ho, Ho, Ho!

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*sniff sniff* What a touching little book with gorgeous illustrations!

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last tree picked from the lot gets to spend Christmas in a very special place.

[Kelley Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about waiting for the right time. Remember this is a season, not your destination.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little evergreen tree, somewhat hunched and missing a few branches, longs to be taken home from the Christmas tree lot by someone who loves the holiday as much as it does in this sweet seasonal tale from author Stephen Krensky and illustrator Pascal Campion. As the other trees on the lot disappear, our arboreal hero keeps hoping, until eventually it stands alone—the last tree, solitary and forlorn, offered to the public for free. Snoozing in the falling snow on Christmas Eve, it is unprepared when someone arrives who does indeed love the holiday as much as it does...

Picked up on a whim from the Christmas display in my public library's children's room, largely because I was drawn to the cover, and to the hint of melancholy in the title, The Last Christmas Tree pairs a heartwarming story with bright, colorful illustrations. Stories about evergreens and their experiences as Christmas trees are not so uncommon in the world of children's letters. From stories like Ursula Moray Williams' The Good Little Christmas Tree , in which the eponymous arboreal hero attempts to provide all the holiday delights for its family, to Annie Silvestro's The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains , about a pine tree with a fondness for locomotives, such stories abound! That said, Krensky's tale was the first I've seen in which a tree is selected by Santa, specifically because both hold Christmas in their hearts. In any case, I found the conclusion here very sweet, and thought that the artwork, created digitally, captured the sense of motion and the frenzy of colors and lights around the tree, both when it was standing still, and when it was also in motion. Recommended to picture book audiences who enjoy holiday stories about homeless creatures finding a home and a happy ending.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I literally had anxiety reading this book because I already do not like the idea of growing and chopping hundreds of "Christmas" trees just for the mere sake of having a Christmas tree. And THEN you also put in EMOTIONS/FEELINGS into the trees and how one tree was left all alone?! OH MY HEART. I am a very emotional reader and emotional person overall and oh my glob, I am so happy the tree found a home. That free sign broke my heart, but I loved how positive the tree was. We should all be as positive as that tree.

That being said, GET A FAKE TREE EVERYONE. Let the trees live in their forests or wherever and continue to clean our air. Get a scented candle if you want the scent of a pine tree.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Charlie Brown's little Christmas tree had been able to talk, this is the story it might have told. The little fir tree on the Christmas tree lot has high hopes of being chosen by a family, decorated, and spending the holidays in a warm house with lights and ornaments. It watches people come and go, selecting other trees, until there are only a few left. When the little tree is the only one remaining, it is a little lonely, but doesn't despair. There's a jingling noise, and then a long, cold trip, but at the end, the tree has found a home. A sweet holiday story with a happy ending for a little tree with lots to offer.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw something about a new book called The Last Tree: A Seed of Hope by Luke Adam Hawker. It’s not available at my library. That sparked something in me to check out all the other Last Tree books at the library 😂

This is a sweet story. Thoughts of being alone, rejected, bullied, and finding home. Enjoyable illustrations.

I think it's my favorite of the bunch, since it doesn't have an overt agenda message. It's simply a sweet children's book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Last Christmas Tree is a cute Christmas read, although a bit boring. Also, I thought that for a children's picture book that some of the vocabulary was a bit high for the little ones.

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[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small tree was overlooked by all the people buying Christmas trees for the holiday season, but the little tree never gave up hope on someone taking it home to be the perfect tree for the perfect family. The tree was the last tree in the lot, and someone special did come along and gave the tree a home most worthy.

[Katy Richey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Christmas picture book! It makes me cry every time-- which I'm not sure it's meant to do, I might be the one weirdo who just empathizes way too hard with an overlooked Christmas tree finding acceptance when it feels too late to hope.

[Azure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to 4.5. Very sweet story

[Talea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable little book about a little Christmas tree that has to wait for the perfect home. Very much along the lines of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree that we all love.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad story but happy ending. Loved the illustrations!

[Brandi Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute book!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this book SEVERAL times. My children really enjoyed it.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet little book that demonstrates good things come to those who wait.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 12-14-2022

[Brystal Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming and adorable story to read during Christmas time!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for family reading!

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It kinda looks like a cactus. I totally would've picked that tree.