The Children’s Book Review | June 26, 2014
The Sugar Plum Tree
Written by Katherine James
Illustrated by Jan Dolby
Hardcover: 32 pages
Age Range: 3-7
Publisher: LilyLu & TT2 Publishing, L.L. C. (2014)
ISBN: 978-0-165-85004-7
What to expect: Candy, Rhyme, Family Tradition, Bedtime
Inspired by Eugene Field’s (1850-1895) original The Sugar Plum Tree poem, here is a deliciously sweet bedtime book from Katherine James that takes young readers across the Lollipop Sea to the Garden of Shut Eye Town where the Sugar Plum Tree grows.
“Have you ever heard of the Sugar Plum Tree? It’s only a wink away …
It blooms on the shore of the Lollipop Sea. The moonlight will guide your way.”
By making a few gentle modifications to the original poem, the authors, three sisters who go by the pen name of Katherine James, have created a softer combination of the words and phrases and they aim to provide sweet dreams. Their goal is also to create an opportunity to introduce a family tradition to be shared on special occasions, such as birthdays and babysitter nights:
“And when you awake, tradition has said magically there will be Candy treasures beneath your bed, for those who believe …”
Fun words such as “fizzy pops,” “zippity-zaps” and “lolli-lous” are like little starbursts for the reading mind. And the brightly colored cartoon illustrations are a vivid eye-catching treat, sure to make mouths water, illuminating the pages and the world of the Sugar Plum Tree where candy pops from the pages.
From lollipops to a chocolate cat to a gingerbread dog and the hint at a delicious morning surprise, this bedtime picture book has the recipe to be any sweet-toothed kiddo’s favorite.
About the Author
Katherine James is the collective name of three sisters who grew up in a small town nestled between cornfields. As children they would roam from dawn to dusk, climbing trees, catching catfish and picking wildflowers until the dinner bell rang. At dinner time, blessings were counted. Life was simple and MAGICAL!
On special occasions the girls’ parents told them of THE SUGAR PLUM TREE and they awoke to small candy treats or TREASURE waiting under their beds.
It’s this TRADITION, of POETRY IN ACTION, the girls now hope to pass on to your family
Read our interview with Katherine James.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. The author of “The Sugar Plum Tree” paid for this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …
