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Author's Note

We are hardwired for stories, no matter how old or young we are.  We enjoy stories as entertainment, we tell stories to explain ourselves, and we listen and tell stories to learn and educate.  Watch how even a two year-old reacts when it is time for a story!  

This was my experience with my daughter.  Yes, I read her stories, but the ones she seemed to relish more were the ones I made up.  The advantage of made-up stories was that I could keep going.  “So then what happened?” she would incessantly ask.  I had to continue!  I understood then that even at three she liked long stories, and there were none to be had for her age in bookstores and libraries.   

It has been some years now and I don’t recall all the ones I told but I remember the stories that she particularly liked.  These are the stories in this series.  They are longer than the usual stories children are given to read between the ages of three and six.  Hence, unless the child is an unusually precocious reader, these stories are meant for parents and adults to read to the child while sharing the graphics to engage their imagination. 

Note for Parents

The names of the characters are intended to be playful and easy for children to pronounce and recall.  The fact that Soft-Toe and Sweet-Leaf are Native Americans is evident in the graphics, but not specifically mentioned.  The reason for this is to convey their commonality with all children.  Any focus on culture and ethnicity may inject the notion of “other”.  Children eventually grow and begin to recognize these differences.  At this point in their young lives, a visual depiction of the character’s uniqueness is sufficient.  It is more important that they relate and feel kinship with all people.  Besides, attempting to integrate the unique heritage of the vast number of native tribes would not have been possible in any case.  

This story, like all the others, promotes certain character-building themes: Kindness and consideration for others, overcoming challenges, being brave when doing the right thing, coming up with ideas and creative solutions in times of need, group cooperation, self-reliance, taking action, and very importantly, understanding the value of trees and forests.