The Story of the Book Tree

Each year, the Family Tree Nurturing Center hosts the beloved Festival of Trees, where groups from across Billings decorate trees in dazzling holiday splendor.

In 2023, the Billings Kiwanis Club joined the celebration with a creative twist — The Book Tree. Instead of ornaments and tinsel, our tree was built from donated children’s books, each one representing a story of imagination, learning, and love. We invited residents from near and far to contribute their gently used favorites, helping us build a tree that quite literally told a story — and that first year, it rose an impressive 14 “stories” tall, towering over the rest of the festival.

During the gala dinner and auction, hundreds gathered to admire the trees and support the Family Tree Nurturing Center. When our Book Tree took the stage, the bidding soared to new heights — setting a record of $5,500, breaking the previous all-time high of $4,500.

Then in 2024, the Book Tree broke its own record again — climbing to $7,200. Both winning bidders generously donated the tree to the Billings Public Schools Education Foundation, which now shares those books all summer long through the Backpack Meals program.

As we look ahead to 2025, we want the Book Tree to stand taller, wider, and filled with more stories than ever before. With your help, we can collect more books, raise more funds, and continue helping kids in our community grow, learn, and thrive.

Thank you for helping Billings Kiwanis help kids!

The Book Tree @ Festival of Trees