An old maple and a young pine tree that live on the edge of a meadow are close friends, even though they are very different from one another. Over the years, the pine tree learns valuable lessons from her older friend, and they enjoy watching the children who come to play in the meadow. When the maple tree is blown over and uprooted in a storm, she is taken away by the farmer who owns the meadow. The pine tree is left alone and lonely. However, one day she notices that young maples, the children of her friend who have come from the maple tree's seeds, have begun to grow up around her feet. As their "forever friend," she takes care of the young trees and shares the lessons their mother taught her, which relieves her loneliness. The story teaches children about caring for others, enjoying our differences, and understanding that love goes on even in the face of loss.
Scientists have told us for years that trees are social beings that communicate continually and care for one another. For children who may be too young to grasp the nuances of the scientific rhetoric surrounding the life of trees, In the Meadow, a delightful fiction read, introduces them to the concept of caring among trees.
This story was originally told by a four-year-old to his grandmother. Therefore, not every aspect of the book may be accurate from the scientific point of view, but the themes are timeless. The concepts of love, kindness, resilience, service, and appreciation for differences are modeled for young children without moralizing or overt lessons. This is a good snuggle-up-and-read book for parents to share with children who are not yet readers and a nice volume for a young reader's library.
Hirsch, Gretchen: - Gretchen Hirsch is the author of ten books with topics ranging from gifted children to business English to biography to football. She has written one novel, with one more completed and a third in progress. In addition, she is president of Midwest Book Doctors (gretchenhirsch645@gmail.com), where she offers editorial services for fiction and nonfiction writers seeking representation or publication. She speaks at professional meetings and writers conferences on a variety of issues such as time management for writers, writing the best book, and developing a writing brand. She served as editorial consultant for In the Meadow.
Huntley, Ryan: - Ryan Huntley is a senior in high school in Ohio, where he lives with his family in a house his Maltese, Rudy, is kind enough to share with them. A member of the National Honor Society and the Cum Laude Society, an International Baccalaureate diploma candidate, and a National Merit Finalist, Ryan is pursuing a higher education in the field of computer science with an emphasis on game design. He is currently studying Japanese and hopes one day to live and work in Japan. When not involved in academic endeavors, Ryan can be found performing with various choral ensembles, traveling the world, and playing games until just a bit too late at night. In the Meadow is his first published book.
Myers-Bandy, Elizabeth: - Cleveland based artist Elizabeth Myers-Bandy, a graduate of Magnificat High School and The Ohio State University, has been creating art for as long as she can remember. She works in watercolor, acrylic, or ink but dabbles in digital as well. She also works as a scenic designer as well as creating custom pieces. This is her first children's novel illustration.
