Christmas Tree Farm

We cut trees all afternoon. My gloves are sticky with pinesap, and the smell tickles my nose." A boy describes his family's yearlong preparation for Christmas: They plant seedlings no bigger than Grandpa's hand, till the soil between the rows to keep down weeds, prune pines into a Christmas tree shape, and measure and tag the trees to show the price. On the day after Thanksgiving, Grandpa switches on colored lights, hangs the OPEN sign, and the Tree Hut is ready for business. Full-color gouache, acrylic, and collage illustrations.