A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Canadian Twelve Days of Christmas

By Helaine Becker, Illustrated by Werner Zimmermann
Published by North Winds Press
ISBN #ISBN# 978-0-545-98663-2

A Porcupine in a Pine Tree is a nationalistic and delightful take on the traditional “Partridge in a Pear Tree” carol. Your students will be chanting lyrics such as “On the sixth day of Christmas/My true love gave to me:/Six squirrels curling/Five Stanley Cups/Four calling moose/Three beaver tails/Two caribou/And a porcupine in a pine tree” until the last day of classes. The repetition in the lyrics combined with the familiar tune is very effective for teaching the song to younger grades, and older students will enjoy the humour in the illustrations, such as “Eight Mounties munching” (the Mounties are shown eating doughnuts.)

A Porcupine in a Pine Tree is also a great purchase for the school library, or as a charming gift. Zimmermann’s adorable pencil/ink and watercolour illustrations provide an ideal match for Becker’s whimsical lyrics, and I loved how each of the animals thrown into the song look somewhat bewildered as to how they got there (especially the way the two caribou and one porcupine regard each other.) A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Canadian Twelve Days of Christmas will make a fantastic addition to any teacher’s repertoire of holiday read-alouds and would make a great holiday gift – not just for a child, but the child in all of us.

View the video of A Porcupine in a Pine Tree at: http://scholastic.ca/titles/aporcupineinapinetree/holiday/index.htm

Check out the author and illustrator performing A Porcupine in a Pine Tree on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeT-0K5cfGc

Watch an elementary school performance with Zimmermann (complete with actions! So cute!) on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UlyDWF8juI&feature=related

The author’s website is found at: http://www.helainebecker.com/

The illustrator’s website is available at: http://wernerzimmermann.ca/