The Carpenter's Gift

Picture book
It will be quite awhile until our teachers and librarians begin
culling Christmas books for holiday celebrations. But stories that
move heart and soul are never out of season. David Rubel's The
Carpenter's Gift is one such book.
The day before Christmas Henry goes with his father to New York
City in a borrowed pick up truck to sell trees they've cut down.
Friendly construction workers help them set up next to their job
site. At the end of the day they give them the left over trees as a
sign of gratitude. The largest is decorated with paper and cranberry
garlands, tin ornaments, and a star Henry fashions out of newspaper, a
star that carries his heartfelt wish that someday his family will have
a warm home.
Christmas morning Henry wakes up to the sound of car horns. The
construction workers have arrived. They want to use leftover lumber
to give the family a hand. Henry is given chores so he can be part of
the project. It's not long before his wish becomes reality.
Henry plants a pinecone from the special Christmas tree. It
grows through years and decades. One day he is approached by someone
who wants the tree for that year's Rockefellar Center Christmas tree.
After it brings joy to millions of visitors it will be milled for
lumber to help build a home for a needy family. At the tree lighting
he meets the family who will receive the new home. He sees the
daughter pick up a cone that has fallen to the ground...
On a personal note: I just returned from a three day leadership
conference at a truly posh resort. I learned a lot of stuff that will
help me on RSU at no cost whatsoever. I also stayed in the loft
bedroom of an amazing cabin, ate scrumptious food, and was spoiled
rotten.
A great big shout goes out to my chum Laura who volunteers in the
children's wing of Orono Library with me. We call ourselves the
Dynamic Duo. Saturday she did me such a mitzvah. I left my purse
with my camera with my treasured pictures and my iPod in the library.
She went to the trouble of tracking down someone with a key,
retrieving the purse, and delivering it to my house. Now that was
decent!
Julia Emily Hathaway

Sent from my iPod