31 months - this story won't appeal to everyone, but we love the author's drawing style and subtle detail. If you've read Gossie etc. this is way way wordier and won't be good for younger kids with short attention spans. But for sensitive kids that can pick up on the emotions of the dynamic between father and daughter it's a beautiful Christmas story. We loved the little girl's creativity with her decorations as well. ( )

A young girl named Pyn, living with her gruff father in an isolated mountain cabin, looks forward to Christmas in this new holiday tale from Olivie Dunrea, creator of the Gossie and Friends picture-books. But although Oother - who refuses to allow his daughter to call him Papa - loves his daughter, he is not a flexible man, and resists the idea of allowing a Christmas tree in the home. Fortunately, Pyn knows when to persist, and her obvious love and care for her father, as well as her longing for some holiday magic, eventually softens his heart, resulting in an unexpected Christmas gift, and a growing (perhaps resurfacing?) closeness between father and child...

I appreciated Dunrea's understated narrative, in A Christmas Tree for Pyn, which its implication of loss - Oother reflects that Pyn looks just like her (absent) mother, at one point, and eventually gives her (Pyn) an ornament that belonged to her - and its message of healing. I think we're meant to believe that the mother has died, and that Oother is still grieving for her, which gives his distinct lack of holiday spirit a poignant construction. Christmas can be a difficult time for the bereaved, and Dunrea captures that very nicely here. I had a more mixed reaction to the artwork, which appealed to me at times - loved the scene in which Pyn and Oother are standing in the falling snow, looking at the tree that is soon to be theirs - and left me mostly indifferent - the indoor scenes felt a little flat to me - at others. Still, although I wouldn't classify this as one of my favorites, when it comes to Christmas picture-books, I'm glad to have picked it up, and recommend it to young readers - particularly those who have recently experienced a loss - looking for engaging Christmas stories. ( )

Pyn is just a little girl who dreams of decorating her very first Christmas tree. However, her papa, Oother, doesn't agree. Oother is a big bear of a man who says very little. He loves his daughter, but he has work to do. When Christmas Eve morning arrives, Pyn decides to surprise Oother with the perfect tree. She bravely goes out into the snow to find one all by herself. But finding a tree is hard work. Luckily for Pyn, Oother comes along at just the right time and plucks her out of the snow. Together they set off to find just the right one.

The Bottom Line: "A Christmas Tree for Pyn" is a magical story about a father's love for his daughter. The themes of family and love shine through this charming holiday tale. Illustrated in soft hues of colored pencil and gouache, children will adore having this picture book read to them around the holidays. Recommended for children ages 5 and up.

This review also appears at The Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/ ( )

This is a longer picture book about a little girl, Pyn, who lives with her gruff father, Oother. At first, we think Oother is just plain mean since Pyn does all the work around the house and he never even says thank you. But when Pyn decides to get them a Christmas tree for the first time, Oother's heart begins to soften a bit. As she decorates it with bits she's been saving, he gives her a special tree topper, something he had made for her mother. I like this for inference. There are several places where we piece the background of their past few years together based on context clues. The illustrations are charming, too

Simple, colorful illustrations accompany a heartwarming tale of a large, silent, loyal father and a hardworking, eager, loving daughter's quest to find and decorate a Christmas tree. ( )