A Partridge in the We Tree

K-Gr 2–This follow-up to Belote’s The Me Tree is a frenetic romp through a parody of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” In the previous volume, Bear has accepted the idea of sharing his tree, but he’s not sure how he feels about so many others showing up for Christmas. In this book, a new set of animals comes each day to join the festivities; from a simple partridge and three French squirrels to five manatees, eight goats a-milking, and more. The simple text with plenty of repetition follows a predictable pattern, making it accessible to emerging readers. Bear interjects a simple comment with the arrival of each animal crew, which adds humor and perspective on Bear as a character. The full-page color illustrations add excitement and show the energetic nature of the story, as well as Bear’s facial expressions as he attempts to deal with the new arrivals. However, illustrations do not help readers’ comprehension enough. The exterior of the tree house is never shown, nor do the interior views give the scope of how many animals have gathered in this tree. Nevertheless, this is a fun holiday offering for beginning readers that will give them a laugh while sharing a message of inclusion.