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by Julie Salamon (Author), Jill Weber (Illustrator)
The classic New York Times-bestselling tale of friendship, generosity, and the magic and wonder of the Christmas spirit
On his annual search for Rockefeller Center's next Christmas tree, the chief gardener spots an ideal candidate: a stately Norway spruce located on the grounds of a convent. There he meets Sister Anthony, a nun for whom the tree has special meaning. Orphaned and sent to the convent as a lonely young girl, Sister Anthony befriended the then-tiny spruce whom she lovingly named "Tree." Over the following decades, as the tree grew, so did Sister Anthony's appreciation for the beauty and wonder of nature. She is reluctant to see her oldest and closest friend chopped down and sent away to New York City. But when a fierce blizzard threatens the old tree's existence, Sister Anthony realizes it's time to let the world enjoy Tree as she has for nearly her whole life. Accompanied by charming illustrations and a new introduction by the author, The Christmas Tree is a heartwarming story of love and friendship, a modern holiday classic for all ages.Author Biography
Julie Salamon is an award-winning author and journalist. She has been a reporter and film critic for the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, and her work has appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications. Her books include Wendy and the Lost Boys, a biography of playwright Wendy Wasserstein; The Devil's Candy, a behind-the-scenes account of the 1980s box-office flop Bonfire of the Vanities; and, with illustrator Jill Weber, the New York Times bestseller The Christmas Tree, as well as two middle-grade novels, Mutt's Promise and Cat in the City. Salamon is also chair of the Bowery Residents' Committee, a community organization that provides support for individuals who are homeless and struggling with addiction or mental illness in New York City.
Jill Weber is an artist, illustrator, and freelance designer. She has collaborated with author Julie Salamon on the New York Times bestseller The Christmas Tree and the middle-grade novels Cat in the City and Mutt's Promise. Her other illustrated books include Christmas Tree Farm by Ann Purmell, a Junior Library Guild Selection and New York Times Christmas pick; Higher: A Rosh Hashanah Story by Eric A. Kimmel, winner of an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award; and The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler, a New York Times holiday pick.
