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Children's Fiction General

The Old Oak Tree (pb)

by (author) Hilary Briar & Reid Briar

illustrated by Angela Doak

Publisher
Nimbus Publishing
Initial publish date
Mar 2024
Category
General, Stories in Verse, Birds, Death & Dying
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781774711996
    Publish Date
    Mar 2024
    List Price
    $13.95

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 3 to 7
  • Grade: p to 2

Description

A musical tale in verse following a robin through a year of seasons in her oak tree home, and a tender-hearted exploration of the cycle of life, featuring delicate paper-collage illustrations.

Once there was a robin
As happy as could be
Because she lived up in the branches
Of an old oak tree

An old oak tree
A strong oak tree
The happiest oak
That you ever did see

This musical tale follows a robin as she makes her home in an old oak tree, a tree that shelters her and many other creatures—from squirrels to foxes to bears!—from many storms, and for many seasons. Until one night, when a terrible storm comes. When the tree falls, robin and all of the other animals who have relied on the tree must say goodbye. As the season turns from winter back to spring, the tree, now a nurse log, becomes home to a new kind of life.

A tender-hearted story gently exploring the cycle of life and death and rebirth, The Old Oak Tree can be read as either a song or a verse story, and features tactile recycled-paper artwork from celebrated artist Angela Doak (My First Book of Canadian Birds) and sheet music for budding musicians who want to play along.

About the authors

Hilary and Reid Briar have made a cozy home in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley with their son and a raggle-taggle crew of animal friends.

Reid is an elementary school music teacher and Hilary works for the regional public library.

Hilary Briar's profile page

Hilary and Reid Briar have made a cozy home in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley with their son and a raggle-taggle crew of animal friends. Reid is an elementary school music teacher and Hilary works for the regional public library.

Reid Briar's profile page

Angela Doak is a collage artist and photographer. All of her work is done first as collage, made up of fabric, candy and gum wrappers, misprints, junk mail, and just about anything else that fits the image she's making. She is also the illustrator of Atlantic Animal ABC and My First Book of Canadian Birds. Angela lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with her husband and two children.

Angela Doak's profile page

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