’The novelist manages to skillfully alternate his narrative between the reflections of an adult and the musings of a child, resulting in a very entertaining back-and-forth. ‘The Child Who Dreamt of Becoming a Tree’ offers a wonderful glimpse inside the imagination of a sensitive little boy whom we, as readers, quickly grow attached to. Hats off to the author!’ (Jean-Denis Côté, ‘Québec français’.) In the weeks following the end of World War II, we follow the adventures of a five-year-old boy as he lives secluded in his home, shut off from the rest of the world by his mother, who’s developed an irrepressible fear of him getting hurt should she ever let him go outside and play with other children. Helped along by his wheelchair-bound grandfather, a man who’s lost the use of his voice after a stroke and who never stops encouraging him to dream, the cloistered Julien is nonetheless determined to discover all of the secrets life has to offer. Peering through the doorway of his wardrobe, his favorite hiding place, Julien observes the adults evolving all around him, using the power of his imagination to try and understand their odd behavior. Spending long moments sitting in front of the window, he longs for freedom, dreaming of what it would be like to be tree, as his mother would always know that he’s never far from home and that he’s always safe. But over the course of his young life, Julien will become an involuntary witness to family dramas that will shake him to his very foundations for years to come.
A beating heart. A talking tree. The rain forest. Love. Mysticism. Harvest. And above all, chocolate. Dear Coco and Leo,I miss you! We all miss you! The whole forest misses you! I hear their thanks and wishes in my dreams. I hope you do, too. Prepare for a journey into a world filled with what so many crave -- the sweet savoring of a chocolate drop. A drop that can melt even the most troubled realities. But in this nuanced, heartrending story, before good can emerge, there is destruction, the bombarding of a people, their culture, heritage, sacred beliefs, and the very soul that drives their traditions. This urgent, beautiful novel takes readers into the ugly realities that surround the destruction of the Amazon rain forest and its people. Acclaimed author Laura Resau shows us that love is more powerful than hatred, and that by working together, hope can be magically restored, root and branch.
As The Giving Tree turns fifty, this timeless classic is available for the first time ever in ebook format. This digital edition allows young readers and lifelong fans to continue the legacy and love of a classic that will now reach an even wider audience. "Once there was a tree...and she loved a little boy." So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein. This moving parable for all ages offers a touching interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another's capacity to love in return. Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk...and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave. This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein's incomparable career as a bestselling children's book author and illustrator began with Lafcadio, the Lion Who Shot Back. He is also the creator of picture books including A Giraffe and a Half, Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, and the perennial favorite The Giving Tree, and of classic poetry collections such as Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, Falling Up, Every Thing On It, Don't Bump the Glump!, and Runny Babbit. And don't miss the other Shel Silverstein ebooks, Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic!
When seventeen-year-old Jade Reynolds witnesses a violent clash between a protesting tree sitter and a local logger, she runs as far as she can from the battles that plague her home and from the mysteries of the redwood forest. But the ancient redwoods are embedded in her psyche—she feels their call even in the dark and forgotten back alleys of Portland, Oregon where she’s hiding out. She soon becomes entangled with a lovable misfit and a band of radical slackers, environmentalists, and anarchists, and finds herself living 100 feet high in the canopy of a redwood grove, trying to decide whose side she’s on: the logging community she’s known her entire life or the environmentalists who are risking their lives for the future of the forest. To find a way beyond the division between Us and Them, Jade turns to the ancient trees themselves—and the thread-thin web that connects us all. Tree Dreams is an eco-literary, coming of age novel relevant for teenagers and adults alike, for this rite of passage asks the same of us all—whatever our age or life stage, we each must discover our one true voice, and learn how to offer it to the world.
A charming, funny, and heartwarming kids Halloween picture book that will help to start a new seasonal tradition. Perfect for kids 3-5 or any young child in your life that wants to celebrate the spookiest season of the year. Everyone knows most young saplings dream of becoming Christmas trees. But one grumpy, old tree who doesn't like lights, decorations, or people is determined to be different. Get ready to meet the Halloween Tree! The Halloween Tree is not your average holiday book and is sure to warm the hearts of kids and adults-alike as a gnarly tree finds his place in the world. This festive tale will have all youngsters shouting "Trick or tree!" with glee and decorating their own Halloween trees by the final page. The perfect Halloween gift for babies and kids alike!
Coming to Nickelodeon for the 2016 holidays, Albert is the hilarious and exciting story of a tiny Douglas Fir tree who dreams of being THE big Christmas tree in Empire City. Boys and girls ages 3 to 7 will love this beautifully illustrated book based on the television movie. This Nickelodeon read-along contains audio narration.
Sharing life lessons and memorable morals, the Serendipity "TM" books are a seasoned favorite with children and parents alike. So journey to the magical, mystical land of Serendipity "TM" with these four cherished editions featuring newly revised text from the author. Patti Caterpillar is curious about what life as a beautiful butterfly is like as she spins her cocoon on the branches of the Dream Tree.
Any scholar interested in dreams will be in Oberhelman's debt. His lucid translation and helpful annotations have brought Achmet away from the private preserve of Byzantinists and into the academic mainstream. His thoughtful introduction not only persuasively argues for Achmet's relevance, but provides a modern, theoretically sophisticated introduction to the study of dreams in their historical context. The side connections that he draws between cultures, time periods, and methodologies of study should provide a valuable stimulus for future work; and, as a valuable bonus, this material could fit very well into the classroom. -- C. Robert Phillips, III Achmet is an observer of culture as he analyzes hundreds of dreams in context of gender, politics, socioeconomic class, psychological and physical state, cultural upbringing and religion.
For graduates, for their parents, for anyone facing change, here is a gorgeously illustrated and stunningly heartfelt ode to the challenges of growing up and letting go. A story of the seasons and stepping stones as poignant for parents as for their kids, from the creator of Otis the tractor and illustrator of Love by Matt de la Pena. "Long’s gentle but powerful story about a young tree who holds tight to his leaves, even as everyone else lets theirs drop, takes on nothing less than the pain and sorrow of growing up. . . . As in Long’s unaccountably profound books about Otis the tractor, a pure white background somehow adds to the depth."—The New York Times Book Review In the middle of a little forest, there lives a Little Tree who loves his life and the splendid leaves that keep him cool in the heat of long summer days. Life is perfect just the way it is. Autumn arrives, and with it the cool winds that ruffle Little Tree's leaves. One by one the other trees drop their leaves, facing the cold of winter head on. But not Little Tree—he hugs his leaves as tightly as he can. Year after year Little Tree remains unchanged, despite words of encouragement from a squirrel, a fawn, and a fox, his leaves having long since turned brown and withered. As Little Tree sits in the shadow of the other trees, now grown sturdy and tall as though to touch the sun, he remembers when they were all the same size. And he knows he has an important decision to make. From #1 New York Times bestselling Loren Long comes a gorgeously-illustrated story that challenges each of us to have the courage to let go and to reach for the sun. Praise for Little Tree * "The illustrations are beautifully rendered . . . Understated and inviting, young readers will be entranced by Little Tree’s difficult but ultimately rewarding journey."—Booklist, starred review "Long’s gentle but powerful story about a young tree who holds tight to his leaves, even as everyone else lets theirs drop, takes on nothing less than the pain and sorrow of growing up. Season after season, Little Tree clings to his brown-leaved self until he can take a leap and shed his protection. He feels ‘the harsh cold of winter,’ but soon grows tall and green, and it’s not bad at all. As in Long’s unaccountably profound books about Otis the tractor, a pure white background somehow adds to the depth."—The New York Times Book Review * "[Long's] willingness to take his time and even test the audience’s patience with his arboreal hero’s intransigence results in an ending that’s both a big relief and an authentic triumph. Long’s earnest-eloquent narrative voice and distilled, single-plane drawings, both reminiscent of an allegorical pageant, acknowledge the reality of the struggle while offering the promise of brighter days ahead."—Publishers Weekly, starred review "Long is sparing with the text, keeping it simple and beautifully descriptive. Brilliantly colored illustrations done in acrylic, ink, and pencil stand out on bright white pages, with Little Tree taking the center position in each double-page spread. Tender and gentle and altogether lovely."—Kirkus Reviews "Children will see the tree facing the scariness of change; adult readers may well feel wistful as the story underscores the need to let their babies grow toward independence. Beautiful. Grade: A"—Cleveland Plain Dealer
