To Be A Christmas Tree by Leigh Marino

To Be A Christmas Tree by Leigh Marino

Award-Winning Children's Book from the publisher who brought you The Invisible String...To some, finding a Christmas tree is a boring chore or an old habit that comes once a year. To others, it’s a magical adventure. But to each “tree” it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, their destiny–to bring joy and enchantment to families and kids of all ages.

To Be A Christmas Tree is a new holiday children’s book that follows the heartfelt journey of a tree from his youthful years to his crowning moment–to be a Christmas tree–the centerpiece in a family’s home. But it doesn’t happen so easily.

In this beautifully illustrated story, readers will watch this special tree grow as he copes with rejection, separation from a loved one, illness, sadness, and the frustration of watching other trees get happily snatched and taken away year after year. Leigh Marino’s artful storytelling skills lead children through these hardships in a way that will help them to cope with grief & loss and the setbacks of life, all within a heartwarming holiday message.

So . . . how does this tree keep his hope alive? It happens one day when a small and furry new friend comes along and offers a scent of encouragement, inspiration and support – a true friend who knows when to hold a hand, and when to let go.

As you keep your Christmas tree dream alive,
It will give you the strength you need to survive.
We are born and we grow to fulfill our destiny.
It’s an honor to be a Christmas tree!

Silver Winner of the 2025 COVR Visionary Award for Children's Books

“As a book lover and a children’s bereavement educator, I was captivated by Leigh’s beautiful tale, To Be A Christmas TreeIt 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. 

LEIGH MARINO has been an artist for as long as she can remember. At 14 she realized that in order to feel the good feelings in life, she needed to allow herself to feel the uncomfortable ones, so she turned to film & television to help her connect with those emotions in a safe way. One of her passions in life is to share those emotional experiences with others - through creative storytelling. Leigh earned a BFA in Film/TV from NYU, completed the Cinematography program at The LA Film School, and studied cross-cultural dialogue at the International People’s College in Denmark. She has also published The Tiny Girl in the Egg, a story of a girl living in an egg who grows and wants to break free from her shell but fears the outside world. Leigh lives in New Jersey with her family and is the owner/creator of Encourage Thought.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780875169378
ISBN 10	0875169376
Title	To Be A Christmas Tree
Author	Leigh Marino
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	DeVorss & Co ,U.S.
Year published	2024-09-26
Number of pages	48
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.