I reread this many times as a child and a teenager and would like to find it again. The forest world the author paints is so vivid that when I think of the book I can still see/hear/smell it. The love story is as poignant as any in literature.

He had me hooked from the very first page to the very last. Heather Goodshade the daughter of the Chief of the Forest People is such a sweet caring girl. Caught in a romance that could never happen. The characters in this story were so real. Buzz the slave girl saved by Heather's father from the Sun People ever so loyal to Heather. Blue Wing's love for Heather and the jealousy he has for Wolf Stone the boy of the Sun People. Wolf Stone the son of the chief of the Sun People falls so deeply in love with Heather that he is ready to lay down his life for her and her people. A must read book.

Harry Behn's poem, written in simple but delicate rhyme, feels like a Haiku poem. The poem is compressed into short verse that moves the tree from season to season. The poem is about the relationship of the reader to a tree and the tree's relationship to the world.. Through the kindness of the tree, a bird's nest finds it's home, colorful leaves drop at Halloween, and fruit is given to us. The tree lives above us. It is the first to feel the touch of the sun in the morning and the moon at night. The illustrations , by James Endicott move across the page like a quiet dance. Each pictures shows a detail of the tree as it makes it's transformation throughout the year in simple lines and curves that is reminiscent of Japanese drawing. By the end of the book we have seen, both in words and pictures, day turning into night, the seasons changing and are reminded that one tree's kindness has been seen and felt through the eyes of many generations

Stories and legends define us. I learned this from the Yacqui personally! For the Yacqui, their stories are very much alive and growing, and defining their lives today. I loved the authenticity, I could feel the warmth of the Southern Sun and hear the Yacqui Deer Dancers! In this collection of myths and legends, the ancient and traditional voices of five men are heard clearly, their voice amplified by Ruth Warner Gidding's writing style and integrity. These five men and their stories, much like the culture itself, overflow with strong spiritual messages, prophecy and cultural instructions. Really, a book about indigenous survival amidst cultural genocide, this book is a valuable peek into the inner hearts and homes of the Yacqui people.