PINEY THE LONESOME PINE

After being taken from the farm, Piney the Christmas tree tries desperately to get back to the little girl who grew him from a seed.

Grandpa Sid, Georgie, and her pup, Jackster, live in the “town with the longest name in Europe!” Grandpa Sid owns a Christmas tree farm and invites Georgie to plant a tree seed of her own. From that seed, Piney grows, and after four years, Georgie plans to take him home, but he’s accidentally taken from the farm, bound for a tree lot. With the help of Jackster, Piney gets back to Georgie by Christmas Day. One year later, Piney also finds a second life as a book, The Lonesome Pine, written by Grandpa Sid; though the book is made from Piney, he is still alive and still a friend to Georgie. West Bakerink’s book is based on the CGI–animated, Emmy-nominated special Piney: The Lonesome Pine (2019), and the illustrations are stills from this short. Some of the best images are close-ups, like the one of Georgie gazing eagerly at a handful of seeds or the ultrarealistic detailing on her sweater. Otherwise, the images feel disjointed, interrupting the flow of the story. As for the tale itself, the more meaningful relationship seems to be between Georgie and her loving, determined pup, Jackster, even though Piney and his ultimate end as recycled goods are the focus. Grandpa Sid and Georgie are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A story that swings and misses at becoming a new holiday tradition.