The Tale of Three Trees : A Traditional Folktale

This book is a great book for upper elementary children. It is a religous book and tells a great story. It tells a story of three trees and what they stood for. I dont want to give it away, but it is a great book to read if you are going through a tough time. It teaches us to never lose faith.

This is a very good book to read to children. The only problem with the book is it is Christian based. It is not recommended to read this book in the classroom. The book focuses on religious beliefs and is a book that you would have to make a personal choice to read, but should not be read to the

Show More

class.

Show Less

Three trees dreamed of becoming something special. The first wanted to become a beautiful treasure chest--holding beautiful treasures. The second dreamed of becoming a strong sailing ship. The last wanted to stay on the mountaintop and grow tall to point people to heaven. Well, their tree-dreams

Show More

weren't granted, but their purpose was filled beyond any dream a tree could fathom. In the end, the first held Jesus when he was born (a manger), the second held Jesus when he calmed the storm (fishing boat), and the third was held by Jesus in the midst of a jeering crowd (the cross).

I absolutely loved this story. I chose to re-read the book and post it as a review because it brought back warm feelings of my seventh grade Sunday School teacher sharing this story with my class. The paintings/illustrations are beautiful and the theme lends a perfect learning lesson--sometimes what we have planned for ourselves is much less than what God has planned for us.

In the classroom, I would use this story to introduce a vocabulary lesson introducing the words: aspirations, dreams, plans, goals, etc. Each student could build their own vocabulary tree. This story could also introduce a dream project. Each student could, without restrictions, make up their story of what they want to become or do for someone else.

Show Less

This story is a wonderful folktale that tells the story of Jesus Christ from the perspective of three small trees. As a folktale, this story stems from Judeo-Christian beliefs, customs, and values. The original author is also unknown. This story is set in Biblical times, when Jesus really would

Show More

have lived on earth. More specifically, the story is set in a forest where three trees dreamed of being beautiful, strong, and tall. The story goes on to tell of how three carpenters cut these trees down, causing the trees' dreams to be forgotten. Eventually, though, these trees realized that their dreams did come true when they were used to be Jesus' beautiful manger, strong fishing boat, and his cross that points straight to the love of God.

Show Less

The Tale of Three Trees is the story of three trees standing tall on a hill, each dreaming of becoming something great. When the woodcutters come and cut down the trees, they are disappointed to not be turned into what they had dreamed. But as time goes by, each tree discovers they have become

Show More

exactly what they had always wanted to be and more.

I love this story because it shows that even though things don’t always turn out like we plan, God’s plan is always best. What we may see as ugly, weak and useless, God sees and beautiful, strong and perfect.

In the classroom, we would discuss how everyone is important. We would use scraps of wood, sandpaper and glue to make something beautiful. We would discuss what we want to be when we grow up and draw a picture.

Show Less

This book begins with three trees dreaming about what they want to be when they grow up. However, when they are cut down, they realize that they do not get to become what they dreamed of. After years of doubt, each tree reaches its dream, but in a way that was not imagined before.

This book is a

Show More

very religious and satisfying tale of three trees and their dreams. It made me feel content to reach the ending and find out that they each ended up happy. It ties together something simple such as an average tree to the works of the Bible.

This book could be used in a church type setting or when discussing religion or relations. It may be too involved for younger children to understand but it would be a great reader for older children even if they do nt attend church. Usually the main points of the Bible are widely known regardless of religion.

Show Less

This book is about three trees. When the trees were younger, they each dreamed of being something magnificent. The first tree wanted to be treasure chest, the second wanted to be a strong ship, and the third wanted to be the tallest tree in the world, so that whenever someone saw him, they would

Show More

look up all the way to the sky and think of God. The trees grow to be large and strong trees, but one day three lumberjacks climbed the hill to chop the trees down. In the end, the first tree holds the treasure of the world, that being the newborn Jesus Christ, the second tree is the small fishing boat that carries Jesus when he calms the storm, and the third tree is built into the cross that Jesus carries.

This book is a very special to me. I read this story every Christmas and Easter to my nursery class at church.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach about different cultures and how Christmas is celebrated differently in every home. Each student could give an example of what holiday they celebrate at home and why it is special to them.

Show Less

Genre: This book is a good example of a folktale. The series of events are both plausible (3 trees are used for different uses), and implausible (same trees are the sole 'providers' for 3 events in Jesus' life). This interaction with humans and trees are all drawn from the religious belief of Jesus

Show More

Christ.

Plot: 5 stars

Age: Primary/Intermediate

Show Less

This book is one that I love. It's the story of three trees who have big dreams and aspirations for their uses when they grow up. In the end, they don't fulfill their dreams the way they originally wanted to, but their uses are even greater than they could ever imagine. In the classroom setting

Show More

this book could be used to teach students about holidays such as Christmas and Easter, and also spark a discussion with students about what they want to be when they grow up.

Show Less

This story is about three trees that dream about what they want to be when they grow up. When they do grow up they are cut down but not made into the fine things they dreamed about. The first tree wanted to be a beautiful treasure chest but ended up as the manger Christ was laid in. The second tree

Show More

wanted to be a mighty ship for Kings but wound up as the fishing boat from where Christ calmed the storm. The last tree didn’t want to be cut down she wanted to stay tall on the hill and point to heaven, she was made into beams that were used as Christ’s cross. In the end they all realized that Gods love had changed them and made them into the beautiful things they wanted but in a different way.

I loved this book. The pictures are amazing with soft details and colors. The message is great, while we may not get exactly what we want, Gods love can make us into the best we can be.

1. This could be used in a lesson about world religions.
2. It could be used in a lesson about art. The art used is smudged where the images are fuzzy around the edges, it could introduce new techniques.

Show Less

LOVE this book! This was one of my favorite devotions to read when working at Luther Point Bible Camp. It is about three trees who have trees to hold treasure, become a strong ship for a king, and point to heaven. They think after being cut down and made into something other than they expected that

Show More

these dreams will no longer come true, but when they one day hold Jesus they hold the greatest treasure in the world that points to God. This book would be better for upper elementary students so they can grasp the concept.

Show Less

One of those books with a point that doesn't feel the need to whack the reader over the head repeatedly. Simple in a good way.

This is a traditional folktale retold by Angela Elwell Hunt. It is the story of 3 trees and one becomes the cross for Jesus. It is really Amy's book, but I have it.

Summary:
As the title suggests, this book is about three trees. Its about what they wanted to be when they grew up and what they ended up as. The trees were first disappointed about their dreams being crushed. The first wanted to be a treasure box, and was made into a feed trough, but later help a

Show More

great treasure, baby Jesus. The other trees also go through a similar experience have the their dream broke then re-written into something better than they started out with.

Personal Reactions.
This book takes me back to my days in Sunday School and back to my dreams I once had.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
This may be too religious for some school districts but the moral of the story show how you can dream the ultimate dream, get it shattered, then in the end receive a much better dream became the reality.

Show Less

This is one of those children's books that many adults love, but kids don't like. It's not very well written, and reads like a cheesy Christian e-mail forward. The trees have thoughts and feelings, even when they are cut down and sawed into boards. That's really weird when you think about it.

A book about our capacity and how our contributions may be even richer than we ever imagined!

This book is a classic I grew up reading, I always enjoy reading it and sharing it with others. The plot focuses on three trees and their hopes and dreams. The pictures are beautifully illustrated and realistically portray the words on the corresponding pages. My favorite component of this book is

Show More

the symbolism the author chose to use to deliver a subtle religious message to viewers.

Show Less

This children's folktale is about three trees who each have a different dream. One dreams of being a treasure chest full of riches, the second, being a great boat and the third want to be the tallest tree and point straight to heaven. Each is cut down and used for a different purpose, and none are

Show More

what they dream of or expect. The first becomes the manger that baby Jesus is placed in, the second becomes a small fishing boat that Jesus and his apostles ride in when Jesus calms the storm and the third is formed into the cross where Jesus died and they all realize that they were made for a bigger and better purpose than what they had dreamed of. The illustrations in this book are painted and they are not very busy images and have a fuzzy quality to them and help the reader to focus on the story and not be distracted by the images. However, they are beautiful and do evoke a feeling of sereneness and calm and maybe a bit of mystery that keeps the reader interested in the story. This is a great book to get students to talk about their dreams and what it means to be content with the plans God has for them even if they turn out to be different than what someone has planned. Teachers could have their students write down their dreams and share them with the class or write their own story about something they are hoping to be.

Show Less

I'm an atheist, so I can't be sure, but I would think this fable could be told at almost any time of the year, not just Christmas. ?á
I read a board book given to my OBCZ because of the beautiful cover, which is not the one shown here. ?áThe inside illustrations are lovely & dramatic and I will

Show More

look for more by the artist.

Show Less

Wonderful illustrations accompany this marvelous and thoughtful tale about what it means to pursue your dreams, and what it means to achieve them. We see they are not the same, but children should gain an understanding about the value of the journey being a reward and a worthwhile goal in itself.

"Once upon a mountaintop, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up." So begins this traditional American folktale about three trees whose wishes come true in a surprising way.

GREAT BOOK

Three trees all have grand wishes for their future. Once they get cut down, they all think their wishes aren't going to come true until each of them is used for something relevant to Christ's life (the manger, a boat, and the cross) and they realize they were put to the best use after all. I can't

Show More

decide if I think this (apparently traditional?) tale is clever and kind of lovely or a bit icky and awful. I'm leaning toward icky and awful, though I'm not sure I can unpack why. Putting that aside for further thinking, perhaps.

Show Less