Living Christmas Tree
by Kristin Sponaugle
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · Christmas / Magic / Family / Holiday Wonder
By day it glimmers with ornaments and lights — but when evening falls, the Miller family’s Christmas tree comes to life.
Project Overview
Living Christmas Tree by Kristin Sponaugle (Mascot Books, September 2021) is a Family Choice Award-winning holiday picture book built on one of the season’s most magical premises: what if the Christmas tree itself were alive? When night falls in the Miller home, Hannah and William witness something extraordinary — their tree springs into action, showing them the spirit of Christmas in ways they could never have imagined. Sponaugle writes with a sense of wonder that never tips into sentimentality, keeping the magic feeling genuinely surprising rather than expected.
The illustration challenge was making the tree’s animation feel visually delightful and distinct from the static daytime scenes — the shift from an ordinary decorated tree to a living, moving presence needed to feel like a real transformation on the page, with light, colour, and expression doing the work that words alone couldn’t carry.
Role
- Character design (Hannah, William, and the living tree)
- Full book illustration
- Animated tree character design and expression
- Daytime-to-evening visual transformation across scenes
- Holiday atmosphere and warm interior lighting design
- Print-ready file preparation
Selected Double-Page Spreads (Final Book Layout)
Book Details
ISBN-13
978-1645438229
Publisher
Mascot Books
Publish Date
September 7, 2021
Reading Age
4 – 8 years
Page Count
38 pages
Format
8.5″ x 10″ Hardcover
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