To Be A Christmas Tree

“As a book lover and a children’s bereavement educator, I was captivated by Leigh’s beautiful tale, To Be A Christmas Tree. It is a touching story about love, loss, and the immeasurable value of family.

Leigh’s writing is magical and rhythmic. Her words allow the reader to be moved by the experiences of the characters. Her endearing writing draws you in and enables you to feel what the characters are feeling - which is what good storytelling does.

I believe reading this story with children is a wonderful way to create conversation about the important topics of connections, family, and grieving-life experiences we will all go through. Discussing the themes of Leigh’s story with kids are both valuable and validating for children and especially needed in today’s world.

I know this book will be a classic. And, a beautiful story to be read by young and old alike for years to come. I can’t wait to read it with my grandchildren and to the kids in my grief support groups.”

— Dana Hahn, Founder of the Luke Hahn Foundation

“The best children’s books are the rare ones that are a joy to read for kids and their grownups alike. As soon as I opened To Be A Christmas Tree, I knew I had found one of these gems. I loved the whimsical, gorgeous illustrations by Tricia Kleinot, which swept me along and captivated my two young children. I was immediately entranced by author Leigh Marino’s lyrical, vivid prose. In gentle, rhythmic rhyming lines, she weaves the story of a young Christmas tree from his own stirring perspective. She captures the heartbreak of rejection, grief, illness, sadness, and longing—and the magic of friendship, love, and hope. It’s a moving, stunning read for all ages.”
-Hannah Howard author of Feast: True Love in and out of the Kitchen and Plenty: A Memoir of Food and Family. 
Told from the perspective of the Christmas Tree itself, this sweet and inspiring holiday story is about grief and loss but also the power of love and hope to heal the wounds they leave.

The little Christmas Tree is very impatient to be chosen and taken to a family’s home. His mother keeps reminding him that his time will come, but the Christmas Tree loses hope when she is chopped down, and they are parted. He becomes sick, and the tree farmers decide that if he doesn’t get better, they will cut him down to keep his sickness from spreading to the other trees.
The Christmas Tree thinks he is beyond caring when suddenly, into his branches, climbs a little mouse. The mouse is full of stories about homes and families, and with his friendship, the Christmas Tree begins to recover, growing new, strong branches. The mouse has brought hope, and it was all that was needed to help the Christmas Tree fulfill its destiny.

With his impatience and deep loneliness, the Tree is an empathetic main character whose emotions will resonate with young readers. The story is told through rhythmic rhyming quartets, perfect for reading aloud. The softly colored pencil illustrations have a vintage, traditional feel that complements the rhyming text perfectly, evoking the magic of Christmas.

To Be a Christmas Tree is a delightful, magical Christmas tale, perfect for starting discussions about the meaning of the Christmas spirit.
--The Children's Book Review