MERRY CHRISTMAS, GERALDINE
by Holly Keller & illustrated by Holly Keller
A shaggy-dog tale about the journey of the biggest Christmas tree on the lot to Geraldine's home. Brother Willie helps, but the evergreen still needs to be trimmed down considerably during their arduous trip, as friendly shopkeepers shorten the trunk and prune out the top to make the tree more portable. It's still too large for the living room; the top is bent over by the ceiling—a silly touch, but at least Geraldine can place the star on it without help. In guileless illustrations and text, Keller (Geraldine First, 1996, etc.) accurately targets toddlers' tastes, but among holiday tales, this one is more heart than plot, and may be overshadowed by flashier Santas, Grinches, and reindeers with red noses. (Picture book. 5-7)