Everybody's Tree

Over the course of eighty years a spruce tree grows, along with the little boy who first selected it at a tree farm. As the tree grows from sapling to magnificent evergreen, the child matures as well, becoming a father and then grandfather. Now at the end of its life, the glorious tree is chosen to be the centerpiece of a city's holiday celebration. The tree journeys from rural countryside to big city center, where everyone, young and old, comes together to celebrate a tree for all; everybody's tree.

School Library Journal

Joosse’s text flows well. Her lines have an elegant rhythm and rhyme, while the story zips and zings with fun onomatopoeia. Graef’s colored pencil illustrations are soft and welcoming. A variety of viewpoints nicely convey the scope and size of the tree and the celebration in a bustling, lively city. The characters throughout are a diverse group, engaged in sharing and in community-building activities, emphasizing the holiday as a time of togetherness.