Review by Booklist Review
It's a happy day for Fritz when his parents let him choose a Christmas tree. Back home, his father strings the lights while he takes charge of the ornaments: first the shiny red balls and then homemade decorations such as Mama's cookies, Fritz's handprints, and even repurposed toys. The family gathers around the tree to sing on Christmas Eve and open presents the next morning. It's a sad day when the tree drops its needles and Papa hauls it away, but Fritz saves a bare branch and recreates a bit of Christmas in his bedroom. Throughout the book, Fritz's thoughts and emotions shine through with clarity. When the family decorates the tree, there's a wonderfully childlike moment when he ignores Mama's advice to space out the ornaments, because they want to be close to their friends. In the ink-and-watercolor illustrations, Murguia achieves some lovely effects though pleasing line drawings and the sparing use of color and detail. A good read-aloud choice, this Christmas picture book reflects one child's quiet joy in his favorite parts of the season.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Like many children (and adults), Fritz-who first appeared in I Feel Five! (2014)-sees his family's Christmas tree as an emblem of the season. Even after all the presents have been opened, the tree still retains its gentle magic. But when it comes time to take the brown, desiccated tree away, "Fritz is not ready for Christmas to be over." As in the previous book, Fritz proves an able and thoughtful guide for children facing a transition. In this case, he beats his post-holiday funk by placing one of the tree's branches in a vase in his room and decorating it, remembering, "almost anything can be an ornament." Saying goodbye to Christmas can be sad; Murguia sensitively reminds readers that memories of good times linger even when the holidays themselves must pass. Ages 3-7. Agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-It's Christmas time, and Fritz and his family have gone to pick out their tree. Fritz is very excited to pick out the perfect tree and bring it home, where all the rules will be broken and the tree will be installed inside the house. Fritz proceeds to decorate in an unconventional manner (anything can become a decoration once it's placed on the tree) until finally Christmas day arrives. Unfortunately, once Christmas is over the tree must go, and Fritz is sad to see his new friend leave. However, all is not lost; Fritz manages to keep a small part of his friend in his room. VERDICT While the ending is a bit unsatisfactory, overall the simple pictures and text make for an enjoyable story.-Graciela Gallegos, Los Angeles Public Library © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Fritz and his family cut down a Christmas tree, signaling the start of a Christmas season filled with treats, decorations, and presents. Many children will identify with Fritz's joy in these events, but the slight plot may not hold readers' interest. Watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations are warmly inviting. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A boy named Fritz selects and decorates a Christmas tree in this quiet tale of enjoying the holiday as a family. Fritz, his parents, and their dog drive out to the country to cut down a Christmas tree together, presumably for the first time, judging from the level of excitement in the text: "It's a real tree!" Back home, Fritz is in charge of decorating the tree and soon discovers there aren't enough ornaments for their huge tree. He "makes an amazing discoveryalmost anything can be an ornament!" Fritz adds toys, drawings, and gingerbread cookies to the tree, making it his own creation. The family's Christmas celebrations are centered on the tree, and Fritz is saddened when the holiday season is over and the dried-out tree must be taken away to be chipped. He overcomes his melancholy by keeping one small, bare branch for his bedside table, decorating it with a few special items. The understated text doesn't point out that Fritz has learned how to keep the Christmas spirit alive, but that message is conveyed in a subtle and original way. Subdued ink-and-watercolor illustrations use cool tones and hazy backgrounds to create a quiet atmosphere with mysterious overtones. There's a bittersweet sense that the magic of the Christmas season can't last, underscored by the litter of dead needles left behind by the tree, but it is countered by Fritz's ingenuity. This restrained, thoughtful story effectively captures some of the contradictory emotions a child may feel during the Christmas season. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
