A Town’s Not-So-Perfect, Perfect Christmas Tree

by Joseph and Adam Briganti

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · Christmas / Community / Resilience / Imperfection

When a fierce blizzard threatens to extinguish a legendary light, two friends must act fast — and a whole community discovers what Christmas is really made of.

Cover of A Town's Not-So-Perfect, Perfect Christmas Tree children's book

Project Overview

A Town’s Not-So-Perfect, Perfect Christmas Tree is a holiday story built on two of the season’s most enduring ideas: that imperfect things often carry the most love, and that community is what makes moments truly magical. Great Grandpa Ty tells the story of Aurora — a colossal lightbulb that once illuminated Christmas trees across the world. When a fierce blizzard threatens to put Aurora out for good, two inseparable friends must summon the courage to act, and their bravery inspires an entire town to come together in hope and unity. Joseph and Adam Briganti have written a story that earns its place alongside the classic Christmas tales families return to every year.

The illustration challenge was doing justice to both registers of the story — the intimate warmth of a family gathered by the fire, and the sweeping drama of a blizzard threatening something irreplaceable — while keeping the visual tone unified and festive throughout.

Role

Joseph and Adam came with a story that had to hold two completely different emotional registers at once — the firelit warmth of a family listening to Great Grandpa Ty’s tale, and the sweeping outdoor drama of a blizzard threatening something the whole town holds dear. Making those two worlds feel unified, not jarring, was the central illustration challenge.

From developing the full family ensemble and community cast through to print-ready files, I handled the complete 38-page illustration scope — including the kind of atmospheric snowy landscape and glowing-light work that this story demanded more than most.

Selected Double-Page Spreads (Final Book Layout)

A troop of elves races to clear the railway from an avalanche.

A boy carefully installs bulbs on the giant Christmas tree — a quiet, determined moment that carries the weight of the community's hope. — A boy carefully installs bulbs on the giant Christmas tree — a quiet, determined moment that carries the weight of the community’s hope.

Children from the community celebrate together under the northern lights — the book's emotional payoff, when imperfection becomes something beautiful. — Children from the community celebrate together under the northern lights — the book’s emotional payoff, when imperfection becomes something beautiful.

Two friends racing home with glowing bulbs while the town celebrates — the bravery and friendship that set everything in motion.

Process

Every project follows this same structured path, so you always know where we are and what comes next. You review and approve at the sketch stage and the line art stage — nothing moves to color until you’re happy. By the time the final spread is rendered, there are no surprises.

Rough sketch of the scene where an elf requests help clearing snow from the train tracks, showing composition and text placement for the authors' approval. — Rough sketch of the scene where an elf requests help clearing snow from the train tracks, showing composition and text placement for the authors’ approval.

Final line art for the same scene, incorporating the authors' minor revisions before color. — Final line art for the same scene, incorporating the authors’ minor revisions before color.

Print-ready colored spread with the authors' preferred color palette applied. — Print-ready colored spread with the authors’ preferred color palette applied.

Book Details

ISBN-13

979-8891381261

Publisher

Presto!

Publish Date

September 17, 2024

Reading Age

0 – 18 years

Page Count

38 pages

Format

8″ x 10″ Paperback

Available at:

Amazon

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