Bella's Tree

Bella’s Tree is an illustrated children's book written by Janet Russell, with illustrations by Jirina Marton. It was published in 2009 by Groundwood Books. Written to be read aloud to small children and to be enjoyed by people of any age or used in the school system as a Junior Advanced (K-Gr 2) picture book Bella’s Tree was awarded the 2009 Governor General's Award^[1] for Children's Literature.

Plot Summary

Bella’s grandmother, Nan, is cross about not having a tree yet as it is almost Christmas time (December 22). Bella asks Nan if she can go cut down a tree for them, although she is met with resistance as Nan does not believe she is capable of doing so. After proving herself adept, Nan allows Bella to go out and search for the right tree. First, Bella finds a nice alder tree in which she finds some birds. Bella asks the birds if she can cut down their tree to use for a Christmas tree. “The birds agree on the condition that Bella lets them come on Christmas and sit in the tree and sing”.^[2] When Bella brings the tree home, Nan tells her it is not the right kind of tree, although they decorate it anyway. Bella goes out a second time to find another tree to bring home. Again, Bella is told that she did not bring the right kind of tree home as this time it is a spruce tree, although they decorate it anyway. Still determined, Bella goes back out a third time and brings home a pine tree which, again, is not the right kind of tree… although they decorate it anyway. Now, Bella and Nan are out of decorations and without the right kind of tree. On her final attempt, with the help of Nan’s songs (below), Bella brings home the right tree – a fir tree – but all of the decorations have been used up. However, on Christmas Day, all the birds with whom Bella had made agreements (the juncos from the alder tree, the chickadees from the spruce tree, the grosbeaks from the pine tree, and the waxwings from the fir tree) flew into the house, sat in the trees, and began to sing creating the most beautiful Christmas tree decorations ever.

Bella

Bella is a young girl who lives with her Nan. She is young and vibrant and enjoys spending her time playing outdoors with her dog, Bruno. She is mainly concerned with pleasing her Nan and showing her that she is “big and strong and small and well-coordinated” enough to complete the task of bringing home the right tree for Christmas.

Nan

Nan is Bella’s grandmother who has grown old and begun to slow down (or ‘crooked’, as mentioned in the book). Nan is frustrated because she used to be the best berry picker but now she’s too old to even go out to find a Christmas tree. Nan helps Bella through her many efforts to bring home the right tree by providing her with songs, such as the Evergreen Song and the Spruce Tree Song.

Songs

Evergreen Song

to the tune of "Miss Mary Mack":

All trees have leaves,
But some leaves leave
Their trees in fall
On the ground to sprawl.

All trees have leaves,
But the leaves that leave
From deciduous trees
Can pile up to your knees.

All trees have leaves,
But some don’t leave;
No, they don’t go never,
They’re evergreen forever.

Spruce Tree Song

to the tune of "This Old Man":

This old spruce, he had needles,
And all those needles had four sides each.
With a spin, twirl, give a whirl, in your finger, girl;
All day long that spruce needle twirl.

This old spruce, he had cones,
And all those cones they did hang down.
With a spin, twirl, give a whirl, in your finger, girl;
All day long that spruce needle twirl.

About the Author

Janet Russell was inspired to write this book by her husband’s mother, who really did love to pick berries, was never crooked, often enchanting and always exceedingly practical; by her daughter Antonia; and by the late Bruno, the biggest dog that ever lived. Janet is a seabird biologist as well as the publisher and audio producer of Rattling Books. This is her first book. She lives in Tors Cove, Newfoundland.^[3]

About the Illustrator

Jirina Marton is originally from Prague, and she lived in Paris for many years before coming to Canada. She has exhibited her paintings throughout Europe, Canada, and Japan. She is the illustrator of many children’s books, including Little Book of Northern Tales: The Bear Say North by Bob Barton, Arctic Adventures: Tales from the Lives of Inuit Artists by Raquel Rivera, and Marja’s Skis by Jean E. Pendziwol, which was a Governor General’s Award finalist for illustration. She lives in Colborne, Ontario.^[4]

Critical Reception

Janet Russell’s Newfoundland-infused language is rich with humour and fun, and Jirina Marton’s art, with its wonderful evocation of snowy woods and cozy interiors, provides the perfect counterpoint in this unusual, gorgeous book in which pictures and text come together to make a “beautiest” Christmas story. Bella’s Tree is a great gift book, sure to become an annual favourite.^[5]

Russell reminds her audience of the powerful role elders can play in the lives of young people, and Marton's simple and frequently beautiful images reinforce the charm of this grandmother-granddaughter relationship.^[6]

References