The Arborist
$9.95 – $19.95
It was the ugliest Christmas tree ever…until…
When eleven-year old Charlie Roebecker befriends Chief Goodyear, a homeless evacuee from a Gulf Coast hurricane, he is not expecting any miracles. As he says, “You can do only small things to fix a big problem.”
Chief Goodyear is an arborist – a fixer of trees. His arrival in Charlie’s town starts the boy on a mission to do what no one else in the town seems willing to do — to help the homeless stranger get a new start.
As Christmas nears, Charlie’s family makes their annual trip to the tree lot where they choose the perfect Christmas tree – “So full and triangular it could have stood in the White House.” Charlie brings home a scrawny little pine with a crooked trunk and no top – The Puny – which he plans to decorate and give to the Chief. Charlie’s sister calls it “a sick, midget tree puked from the forest.” His best friend says it’s “creepy looking.” But Charlie knows better. He has the imagination to see what the little tree might become. And in the hands of an arborist – who knows what could happen!
Additional information
Format | Paperback, Hard Cover, Audio Book, eBook (ePub) |
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ISBN | 978-0-9974553-1-1 (Paperback), 978-0-9974553-2-8 (Hard Cover), 978-0-9796199-6-0 (Audio), 978-0-9974553-3-5 (ePub) |
Trim Size | 5.5" x 8.5" |
Pages | 104 |
Number of Illustrations | 11 |
Illustrated by | Susana Sayles |
2008 Ben Franklin Awards –
“The Arborist nicely elaborates on the theme of modern charity. How do we treat those in need? Why are we more charitable to the unnamed masses than to those desperate, shabby individuals we skulk past in the streets? This is a lovely holiday story that mixes a modern flavor with the traditional miracle tale.”
USA Book News –
“Written as a Christmas novella for middle grade readers and the young adult audience, the story of The Arborist is told by Charlie Roebecker, an eleven-year-old, small-town boy, who comes to the aid a homeless stranger. The book’s novella length and illustrations will appeal to younger readers as well.”