The Angel Tree: Library Edition

by Helena Clare Pittman, Jo Ellen McAllister Stammen (Illustrator)

When his special friend Cyrus McCafferty moves away, Jake celebrates their friendship by buying the giant spruce usually reserved for Cyrus, and a Christmas miracle occurs

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday

32 pages, Library Binding

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Helena Clare Pittman has been an artist since childhood. She majored in art in Junior High and High School, and began painting seriously at the age of fourteen.

She majored in Painting at Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, New York, and was awarded her Bachelors of Fine Art degree there. She took her Masters of Arts at Antioch, in Painting, Writing and Education.

Helena has taught Color, Illustration and Drawing at The Parsons School of Design; Design, Drawing and Life Drawing at The State University of New York at Farmingdale; Writing and Classroom Methods at The City University of New York, Queens College School of Graduate Education; and Painting, Drawing and Illustration at The Nassau County Museum of Art. She has also taught both children and adults at the Art League of Long Island, as well as worked as an Author/Illustrator in Residence in many public and private schools.

Helena has published 17 books for children, most notably "A Grain of Rice" and "The Gift of the Willows."

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations accompany a sweet story of a young boy named Jake. Every year, Cyrus McCafferty invites the children of the town to his home at Christmastime. He feeds the children and gives them each a beautiful ornament. Every year, Mr. McCafferty has the largest, most beautiful spruce tree. Then one year, Mr. McCafferty moves away to live with his sister. Everything will be different that year, Jake knows. But what he doesn't realize is that Christmas miracles will help him feel the true spirit of the season.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake and his father live in a small town, as does Old Man Cyrus McCafferty. McCafferty is a kindly man who treats everyone in their village as if they are family. The local schoolchildren decorate the old man's tree each Christmas, and he invites them all in for sweets. His is always the grandest of the Christmas trees from the local lot, purchased the day after Thanksgiving. In comparison, Jake and his father choose the leftover tree at the lowest price on Christmas eve. Then one year McCafferty's tree remains in the tree lot, and his home is dark and empty. He's moved away, and life in their small town goes on in a steady march towards Christmas.

Gorgeous illustrations and a sweet story make this a lovely book for all ages. Jake learns not to take blessings for granted, but also to feel blessed in his own circumstances however modest they might be. He learns the true meaning of Christmas, and the importance of family.

[Bvlmc Buchanan Verplanck Elementary School · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poor boy describes the impact a kindly old man has on himself and a whole town each year at Christmas and shares how he keeps this spirit alive when the elderly man moves away to live with his sister.

[Faithann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the message I got from it.