by Aileen Fisher
I found this book on PaperBackSwap.com and requested it solely because we have enjoyed her poetry. For the past few years, I've been rotating a nature book in with our read-alouds. We finally found time this year for Summer of Little Rain. In it, Fisher describes the experiences of a male squirrel and a female beaver over one summer, a summer of drought and therefore struggle and great change. Her descriptions are delightful.
Suddenly, with plumed tail waving, he whirled away from the safety of his home trees and headed for the deep woods. Adventure filled the air. His quivering nostrils caught it from every direction and made him daring. In his domain of fewer than a dozen trees, he knew every branch by heart--the strength of the smallest twig, the length of every leap, the merits of every hiding place. In strange trees he would have to take his chances. But suddenly he felt like taking chances!My children adored this book, from the 15-year-old down to the 8-year-old. I was concerned about the tragedy of a true-to-life nature story, but there were no tears even when predators struck and one of the animals died. (I think there were two squirrel and two beaver deaths.)
The Squirrel accepted the loss of his youngster as he accepted drought and other calamities. Young ones came and young ones went. In a month or two the surviving youngsters would strike out on their own. The Squirrel and his mate would probably never see them again. That was the way of life.Nestled in the descriptions and animal action are myriad facts of the natural world. Squirrels and beavers, of course, but also rivers and trees and weather and predators. Fisher includes their entire worlds and shares "secrets" we know but the animals don't understand.
It's a shame this book is out of print. If you see it, or others by Aileen Fisher, when perusing book sales and used bookshops, don't be afraid to take a chance.
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