Separation and miles cannot keep a determined cardinal from his loved one in an ode to serendipity and belief that is destined to be a Christmas classic.Red and Lulu make their nest in a particularly beautiful evergreen tree. It shades them in the hot months and keeps them cozy in the cold months, and once a year the people who live nearby string lights on their tree and sing a special song:
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree. But one day, something unthinkable happens, and Red and Lulu are separated. It will take a miracle for them to find each other again. Luckily, it’s just the season for miracles. . . . From Matt Tavares comes a heart-tugging story combining the cheer of Christmas, the magic of New York City, and the real meaning of the holiday season: how important it is to be surrounded by love.
Matt Tavares is the author-illustrator of
Crossing Niagara, Henry Aaron’s Dream, There Goes Ted Williams, Becoming Babe Ruth, and
Growing Up Pedro, as well as
Zachary’s Ball, Oliver’s Game, and
Mudball. He is the illustrator of
’Twas the Night Before Christmas, Over the River and Through the Wood, Lady Liberty by Doreen Rappaport,
The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup, and
Jubilee! by Alicia Potter. Matt Tavares lives in Ogunquit, Maine.
Tavares (‘Crossing Niagara’) lets the holiday note waft lightly, bringing equal cheer to the celebration of pair-bonding and New York City.
—The New York Times Book Review
A really engaging visual reading experience – moving from overviews to close ups, vignettes to double page spreads. It’s a very dynamic read – dramatic and tender by turns. My kind of visual storytelling!
—David Wiesner
Tavares (
Lighter than Air) captures Red’s frantic search for Lulu, following the truck to New York City...The birds’ reunion is poignant and well earned, and their decision to stay in the city after the holidays poignantly shows how seeming misfortune can lead to unexpected and rewarding opportunities.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Tavares’s realistic watercolor and gouache paintings make the most of dramatic birds’-eye perspectives, while the story provides a child-friendly backstory for an annual NYC holiday attraction.
—The Horn Book
Tavares’s detailed watercolor-and-gouache illustrations expertly capture the seasonal atmosphere...A lovely New York story.
—School Library Journal
…a joyful and affecting picture book written and illustrated by Matt Tavares.
—The Wall Street Journal
With its bird’s-eye views, this wonderfully imagined, gorgeously illustrated ode to the world-famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will have young travelers begging Mom and Dad for a trip to the Big Apple.
—USA Today
Gorgeous artwork, with multiple wordless-pages, advances the tale. Best of all, kids will cheer at the dramatic moment when Red finds Lulu.
—Washington Post
A Christmas book you should probably put on your permanent shelf...This is one of the best of the year.
—Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production
A touching, beautifully illustrated story.
—Kirkus Reviews
