Stranger on Big Hickory
Stephen W. Meader
Paperback
(Southern Skies, March 15, 2005)
Stranger On Big Hickory. When Skip Rollins decided to take photographs of the smaller wild animals he might find near his Pennsylvania home for his 4-H Club project, he did not foresee that some larger and more dangerous animal live would get within the range of his camera---and of him. There were other unexpected discoveries and happenings in the woods, as well: traps set illegally, footprints that led nowhere, Skip's campfire suddenly extinguished by a well-aimed drift of snow, and distant glimpses of a gray-bearded stranger, seen retreating into the concealment of the forest. During the fall, winter, and spring, Skip roamed Big Hickory Mountain, gaining firsthand knowledge of animals and woods through the changing seasons---and in the end discovering the answers to some of the mountain's mysteries. Stephen Meader knows and loves the outdoors, and because he is an experienced storyteller as well, he is able to convey his own affectionate awareness to the reader. Once again Mr. Meader has demonstrated the sure touch and unfailing skill that have make his books sought after by several generations of young readers.