Robert Barry (4) (1931–2012)
Author of Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree
For other authors named Robert Barry, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Image credit: photo by The Standard-Times
Series
Works by Robert Barry
Animals Around The World 2 copies
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Barry, Robert Everett
- Birthdate
- 1931-10-07
- Date of death
- 2012-11-18
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Rhode Island School of Design (BA)
- Occupations
- professor
illustrator - Organizations
- University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
U.S. Army - Short biography
- [from University of Minnesota Libraries website]
Robert E. Barry was born in Newport, RI. in 1931. He married and had two children. He received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1953. He studied graphic design and drawing in Germany and Switzerland. He served in the US Army 1954-1955. He was a partner in the graphic design firm Pava Prints, Inc. in Puerto Rico 1957-1963. He was a professor of art for various institutions from 1966 onward. He was a writer and illustrator of children's books beginning in 1957. He received the New York Times award for Faint George in 1957. He received the Boys Club of America award for the book Faint George in 1957 and the book Next Please in 1961. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Newport, Rhode Island, USA
- Places of residence
- Newport, Rhode Island, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Members
Reviews
Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree came by special delivery. Full and fresh and glistening green--the biggest tree he had ever seen. He dashed downstairs to open the door--This was the moment he'd waited for.
I loved, loved, loved Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. It celebrates giving in a fun and playful way. Mr. Willowby starts off a long chain of giving when he chops off the top of his too-tall Christmas tree. A tree that is splendid in every other way. He gives the tree-top to the upstairs maid. show more She's delighted. Very delighted. How thoughtful! How cheery! But the tree is too-tall for her small room. The top must go! Chances are you can predict at this point how the story will go. But that doesn't mean it is in any way less delightful. This little tree-top gets passed down and re-trimmed again and again and again and again and again. And it's just WONDERFUL to see how much happiness and cheer it brings to others.
I loved the premise. I loved the writing. The rhyming was delightful. It worked very well for me! I think this one would make a great read-aloud. I also loved how uplifting it is. (After reading Baboushka and the Three Kings, I needed a cheery story!)
Why didn't someone tell me about this wonderful and charming picture book?! Why?! Well, I am glad to have discovered it now!
Which Christmas books would you consider classic? Which would you recommend? show less
I loved, loved, loved Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. It celebrates giving in a fun and playful way. Mr. Willowby starts off a long chain of giving when he chops off the top of his too-tall Christmas tree. A tree that is splendid in every other way. He gives the tree-top to the upstairs maid. show more She's delighted. Very delighted. How thoughtful! How cheery! But the tree is too-tall for her small room. The top must go! Chances are you can predict at this point how the story will go. But that doesn't mean it is in any way less delightful. This little tree-top gets passed down and re-trimmed again and again and again and again and again. And it's just WONDERFUL to see how much happiness and cheer it brings to others.
I loved the premise. I loved the writing. The rhyming was delightful. It worked very well for me! I think this one would make a great read-aloud. I also loved how uplifting it is. (After reading Baboushka and the Three Kings, I needed a cheery story!)
Why didn't someone tell me about this wonderful and charming picture book?! Why?! Well, I am glad to have discovered it now!
Which Christmas books would you consider classic? Which would you recommend? show less
When Mr. Willowby has his annual Christmas tree delivered, only to discover that it is too tall to fit in his parlor, he has his butler lop off the top of it. This top - a small tree in its own right - is given to the upstairs maid, who in turn lops off its top, which is taken the next day by Timm the gardener. Timm's wife also lops of the top of their "tree," with this top being found by a local bear. And so it goes, as each new person or creature finds the lopped-off top and uses it as show more their own Christmas tree. The story concludes with the mice, back in Mr. Willowby's own house, enjoying a tiny, tiny tree, while their human counterpart enjoys his massive one...
Originally published in 1963, and reprinted in this edition from 2000, Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree is a picture-book I have long been aware of, but had never happened to pick up hitherto. I'm glad that I finally did, as I found Robert Barry's rhyming tale quite engaging, and his sweetly humorous illustrations appealing. I appreciated the circular narrative here, starting out at Mr. Willowby's house, going off into the wider world (including the forest), and then winding up back at Mr. Willowby's house again. Recommended to anyone looking for fun, sweet picture-books for the Christmas season, especially if their taste tends more towards the vintage! show less
Originally published in 1963, and reprinted in this edition from 2000, Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree is a picture-book I have long been aware of, but had never happened to pick up hitherto. I'm glad that I finally did, as I found Robert Barry's rhyming tale quite engaging, and his sweetly humorous illustrations appealing. I appreciated the circular narrative here, starting out at Mr. Willowby's house, going off into the wider world (including the forest), and then winding up back at Mr. Willowby's house again. Recommended to anyone looking for fun, sweet picture-books for the Christmas season, especially if their taste tends more towards the vintage! show less
I heard about this children's book somewhere and ordered it sight unseen for the nieces for Christmas. Of course I had to read it (carefully!) to be sure it was up to snuff. I loved this rhyming story about how a rich gentleman gets the perfect tree but has to chop off the top bit to make it fit in his parlor. He gives the top to his maid, who has to chop of the top to make it fit in her attic room. She throws it out, and the gardener finds it and takes it home, where he has to chop off the show more top bit... et cetera through a succession of smaller and smaller recipients of the tree tops until the last bit ends up with the mouse family in the mouse hole in Mr. Willowby's parlor. Lovely! Great, fun illustrations, too. show less
First sentence: On the day before Christmas,
December two-four,
Mr. Willowby was pacing
Outside his front door.
There was frost in the air,
Christmas candles burned bright,
But Mr. Willowby's parlor
Did not look quite right.
Premise/plot: Mr. Willowby's Head Over Heels was a LOST manuscript that is now newly published. It is a follow up to Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree--a children's classic from 1963.
Mr. Willowby's ordered Christmas tree is lost in delivery. But some animal friends--led by Barnaby show more Bear--help save the door by bringing him a great Christmas tree from the woods. However, getting it to Mr. Willowby won't be without trials and tribulations. This is a Christmas-y comedy filled with plenty of woodland animals.
My thoughts: I greatly enjoy Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. I was so happy to see this one has been published. It is a fun picture book. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend both books. show less
December two-four,
Mr. Willowby was pacing
Outside his front door.
There was frost in the air,
Christmas candles burned bright,
But Mr. Willowby's parlor
Did not look quite right.
Premise/plot: Mr. Willowby's Head Over Heels was a LOST manuscript that is now newly published. It is a follow up to Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree--a children's classic from 1963.
Mr. Willowby's ordered Christmas tree is lost in delivery. But some animal friends--led by Barnaby show more Bear--help save the door by bringing him a great Christmas tree from the woods. However, getting it to Mr. Willowby won't be without trials and tribulations. This is a Christmas-y comedy filled with plenty of woodland animals.
My thoughts: I greatly enjoy Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. I was so happy to see this one has been published. It is a fun picture book. I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend both books. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 7
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- 1
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- 1,595
- Popularity
- #16,170
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 21
- ISBNs
- 60
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