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The Cookie Tree
The people of Owlgate feel that everything has a meaning and a purpose but what could be the meaning of a gold and silver tree bearing chocolate cookies?
42 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
1 person is currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Jay Williams
153 books41 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Jay Williams (May 31, 1914–July 12, 1978) was an American author born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Max and Lillian Jacobson. He cited the experience of growing up as the son of a vaudeville show producer as leading him to pursue his acting career as early as college. Between 1931 and 1934 he attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University where he took part in amateur theatrical productions.
Out of school and out of work during the end of the Depression, he worked as a comedian on the upstate New York Borscht Belt circuit. From 1936 until 1941, Jay Williams worked as a press agent for Dwight Deere Winman, Jed Harris and the Hollywood Theatre Alliance. And even though he played a feature role in the Cannes prize winning film, The Little Fugitive produced in 1953, he turned his attention to writing as a full time career after his discharge from the Army in 1945. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart. While serving in the Army he published his first book, The Stolen Oracle, in 1943.
Williams may be best-known for his young adult "Danny Dunn" science fiction/fantasy series which he co-authored with Raymond Abrashkin. Though Abrashkin died in 1960, he is listed as co-author of all 15 books of this series, which continued from 1956 until 1977. Jay Williams also wrote mysteries for young adults, such as The Stolen Oracle, The Counterfeit African, and The Roman Moon Mystery.
In all, he published at least 79 books including 11 picture books, 39 children's novels, 7 adult mysteries, 4 nonfiction books, 8 historical novels and a play.
Williams and his wife Barbara Girsdansky were married June 3, 1941. They had a son, Christopher ("Chris"), and a daughter, Victoria. Jay Williams died at age 64 from a heart attack while on a trip to London on July 12, 1978.
Jay Williams (May 31, 1914–July 12, 1978) was an American author born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Max and Lillian Jacobson. He cited the experience of growing up as the son of a vaudeville show producer as leading him to pursue his acting career as early as college. Between 1931 and 1934 he attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University where he took part in amateur theatrical productions.
Out of school and out of work during the end of the Depression, he worked as a comedian on the upstate New York Borscht Belt circuit. From 1936 until 1941, Jay Williams worked as a press agent for Dwight Deere Winman, Jed Harris and the Hollywood Theatre Alliance. And even though he played a feature role in the Cannes prize winning film, The Little Fugitive produced in 1953, he turned his attention to writing as a full time career after his discharge from the Army in 1945. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart. While serving in the Army he published his first book, The Stolen Oracle, in 1943.
Williams may be best-known for his young adult "Danny Dunn" science fiction/fantasy series which he co-authored with Raymond Abrashkin. Though Abrashkin died in 1960, he is listed as co-author of all 15 books of this series, which continued from 1956 until 1977. Jay Williams also wrote mysteries for young adults, such as The Stolen Oracle, The Counterfeit African, and The Roman Moon Mystery.
In all, he published at least 79 books including 11 picture books, 39 children's novels, 7 adult mysteries, 4 nonfiction books, 8 historical novels and a play.
Williams and his wife Barbara Girsdansky were married June 3, 1941. They had a son, Christopher ("Chris"), and a daughter, Victoria. Jay Williams died at age 64 from a heart attack while on a trip to London on July 12, 1978.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 16, 2018
I think it was meant as a metaphor for being open-minded or something, but it was kind of unconvincing because honestly, who would be anti-cookie-tree?
July 7, 2024
One morning a new tree appears in a little village covered in cookies. The adults spend the whole book debating what this means and what to do -- and what kid doesn't want to read page after page of adults arguing? -- but the children of the village are pretty sure they've got it figured out.
The last line of the book almost saves it, but it really can't undo so many pages of wordy captions and super dull pictures of ugly adults standing around talking.
The last line of the book almost saves it, but it really can't undo so many pages of wordy captions and super dull pictures of ugly adults standing around talking.
August 15, 2019
Great story about little children teaching adults that some things were just meant to be enjoyed
April 7, 2021
review coming soon
July 25, 2024
It was the fist book I read on my own. I got to write my name in the book. My grandmother saved it and it was found when they cleaned out her house after her death. The last line of the book and stayed with me always.
September 8, 2012
I remember this book being in the collection of my childhood public library (Lang Memorial Library, Wilson, Kansas - one of those beloved tiny libraries that hold the entire world for a small child in a small town). Other than the title and the cover art, nothing in The Cookie Tree was something I remembered, and now I know why. It's mostly a throw away story, nothing profound or even all that interesting. A cookie tree appears one day in the middle of some vaguely Ruritanian city; while the grumpy suspicious townspeople bloviate and debate over what to do with it, the children of the town eat the whole thing behind their backs. A cute story, I guess, but nothing much there to write home about.
July 7, 2024
One of the books from my childhood, but while we definitely owned this one it has very little nostalgia for me, so I must not have read it much either on my own or with my mother. On reread I can see why. The story is wordy and boring and the illustrations are a series of people standing around talking, without even a background.
For me as an adult the most interesting thing about this is that apparently it is written by the same author who wrote a book I stumbled across in my Junior High library and read over and over that made a much bigger impression on me: The Hero from Otherwhere
For me as an adult the most interesting thing about this is that apparently it is written by the same author who wrote a book I stumbled across in my Junior High library and read over and over that made a much bigger impression on me: The Hero from Otherwhere
April 2, 2021
I love Jay Williams. This story has a good message about finding the good in unusual things and accepting the nontraditional. The first sentence and fantastic illustration raised my hopes for more, though. “The village of Owlgate was quiet and tidy, and nothing surprising ever happened there.”
September 12, 2023
I owned this book as a child and loved the story. It highlights a child’s innate ability to see past all the complications real and imagined and created by adults while they simply enjoy the magic all around.
June 10, 2025
One of my favorite books as a child. My copy was lost in a house fire but luckily I found another on eBay. I bought it years ago when my kids were small and they enjoyed it as well. A timeless, magical classic.
April 13, 2021
Never ceases to creep me out, this one.
September 5, 2021
Of course the children know why this odd thing happened in their mundane village....
I don't particularly care for the illustrations, but they do suit.
I don't particularly care for the illustrations, but they do suit.
June 8, 2024
Childhood book
July 13, 2019
In the middle of a prosperous medieval walled village, a tree suddenly appears in the town square. It is covered with silver bark, and under its golden leaves are small fruits that look like chocolate cookies. A girl name Meg is the first to see it - when she tells her parents about it, of course they don't believe her. Eventually, though, everyone in town does see the tree, and the adults begin to argue about what it is, where it comes from, what it means, and the dangers it might pose. The children, though, have simpler - and clearer - ideas.
Jay Williams has written a beautiful little story about how sometimes adults tend not to see the forest - or the cookies - for the trees, and how bureaucracy and endless worrying about doing the right thing can sometimes obscure simple beauties in life. Having worked in a cooperatively-run business for quite a few years, this really rang a chord when I found it in my parents' house and re-read it after 35+ years. My copy dates from 1967 and appears to be the first edition, so it may be one of my earliest reading experiences. The book also offers magic as something indefinable, mysterious, and with a purpose of its own that may be quite different from our ordinary way of thinking, and in that regard it reminded me more than a little of Tolkien's SMITH OF WOOTEN MAJOR.
Blake Hampton's illustrations are every bit as lovely as the text, looking something like a cross between actual medieval illuminations and American primativism (think somewhere in the range from Grant Wood to Grandma Moses). Wonderful and timeless.
Jay Williams has written a beautiful little story about how sometimes adults tend not to see the forest - or the cookies - for the trees, and how bureaucracy and endless worrying about doing the right thing can sometimes obscure simple beauties in life. Having worked in a cooperatively-run business for quite a few years, this really rang a chord when I found it in my parents' house and re-read it after 35+ years. My copy dates from 1967 and appears to be the first edition, so it may be one of my earliest reading experiences. The book also offers magic as something indefinable, mysterious, and with a purpose of its own that may be quite different from our ordinary way of thinking, and in that regard it reminded me more than a little of Tolkien's SMITH OF WOOTEN MAJOR.
Blake Hampton's illustrations are every bit as lovely as the text, looking something like a cross between actual medieval illuminations and American primativism (think somewhere in the range from Grant Wood to Grandma Moses). Wonderful and timeless.
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July 2, 2011Set in the medieval village of Owlgate, where nothing surprising ever happens, because nothing surprising is allowed to happen, a Cookie Tree magically appears in the town square, delighting the children and confounding their elders. Besides reveling in the delicious premise, readers will enjoy seeing the grown-ups' debating and arguing trumped by the children's clearly superior understanding of why the tree is there. Illustrations by Blake Hampton are richly realized character studies with pompous knights, sour-faced grocers, and children licking their crumb-dappled lips.
January 1, 2009
Not my favorite of Jay Williams' books, but still has some of the elements I love about his other books; for example, the description of Alwyn the Ancient: "so old he looked like a wrinkle with a man around the edges of it;" or of Thelwyn the Thin, who ate almost nothing, and "when the messenger came for him "was feasting on the smell of bacon." The story is a little weak, however. Still, overall a cute book.
January 6, 2016
One of my favorite books from childhood, this is a charming fantasy set in the days of King Arthur wherein a golden tree that grows chocolate wafers mysteriously appears in a town where everything has to have a purpose. This imaginative tale teaches that some things are there for ENJOYMENT and that is their purpose. I recommend it highly and wish that they would rerelease it in Kindle format
October 29, 2009
This is my favorite book of all time, a cherished and beloved family heirloom, and more people should read it. I share it with everyone I possibly can whenever I possibly can, and I think everyone's life would be richer for it.
April 27, 2012
A cute story with nice (if a little weird) illustrations. It went under-appreciated in my house, but not for any particular reason. I always loved the idea of silver tree with gold leaves just popping up over night and with cookies as an added bonus!? It's a great idea.
October 19, 2014
I enjoyed this book more when I was older than I did when I was a little girl, but that may be in part because unexplained magic was a little unsettling to me when I was young. My full review is posted at my blog: http://thepossumsbookshelf.wordpress....
July 25, 2010
Another one with good memories from my childhood...
October 14, 2010
i love this book it is one of my favorite books from when i was little!
July 25, 2015
This book always scared me as a kid. Finn the Fat was scary, especially in his last scene. It looks like he doesn't have a head.
June 21, 2014
This is one of my favorite childhood books. I love the illustrations and I especially love being able to read it to my kids now.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews