Do-it-yourself illustrations are a delightful activity for young readers and artists. Follow this special Christmas Spruce from the forest to the Hurley home and beyond.

He seems like such a quiet, ordinary Christmas tree - but when the Hurley family takes him home, something wonderful happens. Maybe it's the decorations (handmade by the way), or the beaming smiles of the kids, or his proud, happy name - Engelmann?

Engelmann becomes the center of the family's holiday season among the gifts and the songs and the happiest of times. But if Christmas doesn't last, why would Christmas trees? What's a young tree to do when it's all over and the kids go back to school? Uh oh. Engelmann - facing the holiday trash heap - is no ordinary tree. He makes a run for it.