Bruce the Spruce by A.A. Cristi – 4 Star Book Review

Bruce the Spruce has Christmas all wrong.

Welcome to one of the November 30th stops on the blog tour for Bruce the Spruce by A.A. Cristi with iRead Book Tours (schedule linked.) Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, author guest posts & interviews, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.

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About the Book

Bruce the Spruce
A New York City Fairytale About the True Meaning of Christmas Trees
by A.A. Cristi

Published 2 November 2021
Mascot Kids

Genre: Children’s Fiction
Page Count: 56
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!

Bruce the Spruce has Christmas all wrong.

Thanks to his fancy decorations and adoring admirers, this artificial spruce tree doesn’t just wear a star at Christmas, he IS the star. But when his longtime family gets a new tree, it sends Bruce on a holiday adventure through New York City.

From a party in Brooklyn, to a run-in with rats, to a revelatory visit to Rockefeller Center, Bruce the Spruce takes an unforgettable journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas trees!

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | B&N | Mascot

My Review

My Rating: 5 Sars
Consider liking my review on Goodreads

I was granted complimentary access to Bruce the Spruce by A.A. Cristi as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with iRead Book Tours. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

Bruce the Spruce is the story of a Christmas tree named Bruce, presumably an artificial spruce, who has served his beloved family well year after year for two decades. He loves looking at all the shining lights and decorations every Christmas and dreams of one day meeting the biggest Christmas tree, as seen on TV. Unfortunately for Bruce, this year his family has bought a new artificial spruce and he finds himself on the curb with the trash. Where will he end up?

This is a cute story made up of a series of misadventures as Bruce lands in a couple of undesirable homes, meets his hero, finds out his hero has their own wishes and longings, and eventually finds a new family to love. It’s cute, it rhymes beautifully, and it’s perfect for the holidays.

With that said, it reminds me of classic animated shorts a little too much. I’m sure there are a dozen or more other children’s books out there that tell similar stories, and the art style (and cover pose in particular paired with the title) remind me of Christopher the Christmas Tree. While this book is well done and charming and will definitely capture the hearts and imaginations of any kids who read it, there’s a good chance a lot of children’s collections out there already have something just like it.

The artwork is bright, fun, and captivating. As I said above, it reminds me of classic animated shorts. I think this will both pull kids in with how captivating the images are but also catch the attention of the adults who might be reminded of a beloved story from their own childhoods.

About the Author

A.A. Cristi was born and raised in the world capital of Christmas trees and musicals – New York City. By no small miracle, she has managed to make a living writing about both topics. When she is not dreaming up fantastic adventures for inanimate objects, she is covering the Broadway industry as a journalist and editor at BroadwayWorld.com. Though writing is her calling, her true passion is playing mother to a neurotic wiener dog named Jack and Aunt Rah Rah to two truly remarkable kids.

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Giveaway Alert!

Enter to win a signed copy of Bruce the Spruce: A New York City Fairytale About the True Meaning of Christmas Trees by A. A. Cristi! (one winner/USA only) (ends Dec 17)

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