Ian Hutton: 9 books

Children memorize this story in a matter of minutes. It's a wonderful story to act out and will entertain them for hours. Vivid use of imagination. Age 4 and up.

"As all turns under us and something fine and beautiful is coming around please let it be a surprise."

Dear Readers, An engaging tale about friends preparing for Winter. Every Autumn, Owle flies up the Shivery Peaks, to see the depth of Winter coming. Will it be a mild, run around winter, or a chill-the-bone winter. Already, many sniffing noses have detected a deep-snow winter, while other noses...

The two books about Owle and Chicken and their friends are tales of imagination, friendship, tolerance and adventures. The characters are real; their adventures, absorbing. They inspire children to read, and to learn to read aloud. The illustrations are beautifully drawn by Polly Faminow. Age 5 and up.

Review by Librarian, A. Macdonald: "This imaginative little verse puts a whole new spin on the alphabet. I definitely recommend it as a comparison to traditional alphabet songs. They start with A but this little song begins with F-first. Delightful."

This is a story to read to a friend. "…We sailed out past the Plimley Reef, we sailed copper-blue at night, we heard the brass in nails, holding up our sails, and we calmed, candle's light. There was no place we didn’t go, nor friends in each who didn't know the Captain;s face as a friend to be the settling grace of his wooden feet fresh from walking the wooden seas."

I had dinner with the Hardings; their youngest, Angie, age 4, cried because her peas were touching her potatoes. I laughed out loud and she cried harder. I wrote this invitation to dinner to cheer her up. It did.

Librarian Review: "Captivating imagery involves children in this wonderful story."

Our tails are tied to our trunks by our middle. We're big and round and possibly silly. We wiggle our walk and bellow our talk, our life together is all fair weather…"