A Christmas gift with creativity behind it is a rare thing these days. Lists are made, battles are waged in stores and "good enough" is

often the cry of freedom from the crowds.

With Black Friday less than two weeks away, deals on items, rather than genuine thought, often rule the gift-giving process.

But this Christmas will be a little different for Judy Andres and her family. This is the year a gift may be turned into a family tradition for her grandchildren - and its creative process has taken years.

Andres has written her three grandchildren - the oldest is 6 - a children's book called "Froggy's Christmas Tree Concert," which she spent two years getting illustrated. While the book may become a family tradition with a reading on Christmas, it is also getting the attention of area school children who Andres has read to.

While her day job is the Deputy Clerk of Court in Marquette County, Andres has spent some of her free time recently traveling to schools like Pardeeville and sharing her book with elementary classes. And she even made an appearance at her grandson's class in Baraboo.

"By now, I know it by heart," she said of the 60-page book that was illustrated by Reedsburg artist Liesa Stienmetz, who also works at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells doing portrait work.

Andres, who lives near Oxford, said she has always wanted to be a grade school teacher and has had a desire to write a children's book. In a way, this opportunity melds the two.

The project sprang out of a true story when one of Andres' friends discovered a little tree frog on their Christmas Tree the year after they brought it in the house to decorate.

After hearing the story, Andres started penning a children's book that evening based on the frog's home in a Christmas tree. And she used another Christmas ritual, getting the family tree, as a backdrop.

"Froggy's Christmas Tree Concert" is a story about a family who owns a tree farm and enters a contest for the best tree each year. Since they always win, they decide to bring a sparse, pathetic-looking tree to the competition to give others a chance to win.

When the tree is about to be judged, a little frog who calls the tree home awakens and starts singing. The family wins the best tree prize again, even with a Charlie Brown-like tree.

Andres said the message to children in the book is even though you're small, you can do great things.

After writing the book, Andres wanted to illustrate it herself to truly say it's her project. But she realized her artistic talents were more in copying a drawing than creating one.

"(I thought), my kids are going to be grandparents by the time I get this done," she said.

Andres turned to a German artist who had experience illustrating children's books, but found the $5,000 price tag a bit steep for something that was intended to be a creative gift.

When Andres met Stienmetz, the two clicked with the ideas they had for the book.

Stienmetz said it was a little tricky to think of a picture with each of the 20 stanzas, but she just kept thinking about a real family and what they would be going through.

"I just thought it would be fun to see this in print," she said. "I'm just so glad I met (Judy)."

The colorful illustrations also helped keep school children glued to the story. Andres said the true test is reading it to a class at the end of the school day.

"Everybody loved it," Andres said of children she has read it to.

Andres hopes the book, which has been in print for three weeks, becomes something area families can share with their children as well. She said she has thought about a children's book series, but for now she is spreading "Froggy's" musical message one reading at a time.

"Not everyone can say their grandma wrote them a book," Andres said.

 Book signing

-- What: Judy Andres will sign her children's book "Froggy's Christmas Tree Concert."

-- Where: It's About Faith, 309 DeWitt St. in downtown Portage.

-- When: (Today) Saturday, Nov. 15.

-- Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

-- To order: Cost $12.50. Contact Judy at 697-5473 or at jaandres@maqs.net