Hickory
Palmer Brown
Hardcover
(NYR Children's Collection, May 14, 2013)
A grandfather clock makes a lovely home for a family of miceâif you donât mind the occasional clang. And here Hickory lives with his parents, his brother, Dickory, and his sister, Dock. But Hickory is a restless, fearless mouse, and he longs to be on the move, to breathe the sweet air and nibble on the wild strawberries of the fields. So one day in early spring, with the smells of honeysuckle and clover guiding him, he strikes out on his own. Soon he discovers that a meadow can be a lonely place, even with all its beetles and caterpillars. Itâs not until Hop the grasshopper comes around that Hickory ďŹnds a true companion. Hop warns him, though, that when the days get shorter and the goldenrod begins to fade, the âsong she sings will soon be done.â How Hickory and Hop confront and eventually accept the end of summer forms the core of Palmer Brownâs poignant story.Hickory is a story of friendship and love on par with Shel Silversteinâs The Giving Tree or E. B. Whiteâs Charlotteâs Web. It is also a field guide to the common plants and ďŹowers of spring, summer, and autumn, all beautifully rendered in Palmer Brownâs most colorful and joyous drawings.
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