Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--In this delightful tale, Barnaby Bear has a madcap adventure delivering a tree to his friend Mr. Willowby. It is pure joy reading the text and seeing a giant bear ride a Christmas tree down the mountain to give to his friend. There is a lot of mischief along the way, mostly due to Barnaby Bear plowing into a bevy of friends as his tree accelerates with rocketlike speed down the mountain, enlisting participants including Frisky Fox, Dusty Duck, Benjamin Rabbit, and others in the tree delivery. Illustrations by DiCicco, based on the characters and art of Barry, are engaging and in some places give the illusion of being three-dimensional, as when the delivery truck that was supposed to bring the grand Christmas tree gets stuck in a snowdrift. Back matter includes a photograph of the author and some of the original artwork from the text. This title is likely to appeal to readers of many generations: for young children it's a standalone title, but for adults it provides nostalgia, too. VERDICT A highly recommended Christmas story that captures the magic of friendship, this title has something for the young at heart of all ages and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.--Robin Sofge
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A beloved Yuletide story gets an unexpected sequel, replete with hijinks. Recently discovered in an overstuffed file cabinet by Barry's son, this follow-up toMr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1963) has finally found its way to publication, decades after its creation. Plagued once more by Christmas tree woes, Mr. Willowby, a mustachioed, white-presenting elder, is pacing his stately manor. Whereas in the previous book, his tree was too tall, now it looks like he won't have one at all! The delivery van is stuck in the snow, leaving the kindly old man bereft. Along comes Barnaby Bear, who, upon seeing his friend's plight, finds an ideal tree on a hill high above and makes the unfortunate decision to ride the conifer down to the house. Turns out, steering a tree is an impossibility, and the next thing you know, Frisky Fox, Dusty Duck, Benjamin Rabbit, and Mistletoe Mouse are along for the ride. A crash-landing through Mr. Willowby's front door and a special cameo appearance from Santa all make this the happiest holiday on record. Readers young and old needn't have any familiarity with Mr. Willowby's earlier Christmastide adventure to appreciate the wild antics. Barry's tale hasn't aged a day; its rhymes remain intact and scan with alacrity, while the fun and frolicsome art taps into the cartoonish nature of the shenanigans. Ho ho ho and a merry publication to an old classic newly found.(Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.