Daily Archives: December 22, 2024

NISHA’S JUST-RIGHT CHRISTMAS TREE—A REVIEW BY VERONICA JORGE

NISHA’S JUST-RIGHT CHRISTMAS TREE

SUSAN LYNN MEYER
AND
JAYA MEHTA

ILLUSTRATED by PARVATI PILLAI

Beaming Books
2024
ISBN 978-1-5064-9646-7

BIG. That’s all Nisha can think about. After all, in her mind, she’s not little anymore. She’s big. So, when it’s time to buy the family Christmas tree, Nisha wants to help her father pick out the right one.

Nisha wants a big tree. “As tall as a camel! As wide as an elephant!” One that can fit all of their ornaments, many of which came all the way from Baba’s home country of India.

But her Baba wants a small tree. One that he can easily carry up the stairs and that will fit in their small Brooklyn apartment.

Nisha and her father shop around, but they cannot seem to agree on a tree.

“Too big,” says Baba.

“Too small,” says Nisha.

Yet somehow they must find a tree that’s just right for each of them and that will make their Christmas special.

Nisha’s Just-Right Christmas Tree celebrates the childhood excitement of growing “big enough” to participate in holiday preparations, and is a heart-warming story of a little girl on a mission to help her father find the perfect Christmas tree.

Parvati Pillai’s illustrations in deep rich green, red, and gold colors draw the reader into the magical season and the warm tender family moments.

Nisha’s Just-Right Christmas Tree is a meaningful story of the ways in which cultures often mix and blend traditions from their home countries with those of their new country in order to create the just-right life for their families.

This is one to add to your holiday collection.

Veronica Jorge  

Happy Holidays!

See you next year, January 22^, 2025!