Oak Street Treehouse
Dick Daniels
Leadership Development Group (2025)
ISBN: 979-8990819368
Reviewed by K.B. Cooper for Reader Views (12/2025)
Dick Daniels’ Oak Street Treehouse: The Day They Played Christmas is the fourth picture book in the series created for children ages 4-8. As the title page declares, Meet the friends at Oak Street Treehouse! Mollie Bozarth’s charming illustration featuring seven friends and two dogs welcomes readers to Oak Street.
As the neighborhood prepares for the annual neighborhood Christmas Cookie Exchange the treehouse kids decide to perform a Christmas play. Their plan is to tell about “the birth of Jesus,” using creative props, the treehouse, and their dogs. Throughout the play, seven Bible quotations about Jesus’ birth are written on signs; The birth of Jesus happened this way.-Matthew 1:18. Each child takes on a role, introducing themselves within the story.
Colt, making his appearance proudly announces, “I got to be Jesus’s adopted dad!” An exciting tire swing entrance by Brit as an angel makes all possible uses of the treehouse. The performance concludes with the seventh sign, and Biblical message, the arrival of the Wise Men and the girls singing Away in the Manager, reminding of the Christmas story’s joy.
The story continues like any memorable play, with post-performance excitement, cookies and the lively task of cleaning the treehouse. Adding a unique detail to the story is an electronic message from God, praising the children’s performance and offering comfort and assurance that the beloved dog Bandit is in heaven.
While some of the story elements build on previous adventures and characters from earlier books in the series, the book remains accessible for new readers.
Mollie Bozarth’s illustrations capture the most prominent moments and emotions of the story. Her artwork highlights the playful energy of the Oak Street Treehouse friends. The vivid illustrations engage young readers and convey the Christmas story meaning.
Author Dick Daniels weaves the theme of incorporating God and Christian stories into a child’s world. Effectively these messages are approachable and meaningful for a young reader. By blending ideal childhood experiences with the deeper messages of faith, the book helps teach children the values and lessons at the heart of the Christmas story. The explicit title, The Day They Played Christmas perfectly reflects the story’s spirit, children joyfully participating in the retelling of one of the oldest stories ever told, the birth of Jesus.