The Carpenter's Gift
David Rubel, illustrated by Jim LaMarche
ISBN: 9780375869228
Read February 10, 2014
This is a fictionalized account of the first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and I truly wanted to like it, but it just felt like it was trying too hard the whole way through. This is like the picture book equivalent of a Hallmark Holiday Special, complete with wispy, wistful pencil illustrations.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, it wasn't horrible, just - none of the moments impacted me like they were obviously meant to do. I'm not even entirely sure why. If I had to guess, I'd say that it reads like a Christmas commercial, like the touchy-feely Saint Jude commercials, or those godawful adopt-a-pet sobfests. It just felt artificial and forced, and the point (look, the Rockefeller Tree isn't entirely a crass spectacle! Look, we give wood to Habitat for Humanity!! See? Christmas spirit, man!) was entirely too belabored.
I did love that the Sparky at the end was a girl. Nicely done.
I also, for the most part, liked the wispy, wistful illustrations. I just wish the writer(s ?) would have trusted the artwork to carry the emotion instead of beating the reader over the head with meaning.
This book was recommended by The Read-Aloud Handbook.
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