Nutsy the Squirrel needs help collecting nuts for the winter. Mama Bird can't find Baby Bird. Brown Cow's tail is stuck in the fence, and Scratch the Dog is lost! Who can help? And how will each repay the other? Follow these woodland and barnyard animals as they embark on an energetic and captivating journey of paying it forward through simple, everyday acts of kindness. And see how one, small deed can set off a chain of generosity that ultimately comes full circle.
Laura Miller is the best-selling author of small-town romance novels and poetry. She grew up in a small Midwestern town in the United States. Now, she lives in Kansas City, Mo. Look for her latest book of poetry, Echo, available now.
I love the concept of paying it forward, and I wanted to capture that theme in a way that children can enjoy and understand. And because I grew up on a farm in a little, Midwestern town, I wanted to have barnyard and woodland animals tell the story. Rabbit starts the journey that meanders through the farm and ultimately ends with Rabbit's "gift" coming back to him. I hope you enjoy, and I also hope that these characters inspire children to pay it forward in their own way.
The idea of "paying it forward" is an important lesson to teach our children but it's a big concept for some of them to grasp. I think Miller does an amazing job of taking it down to a level children can understand and really learn. This book is fun and the characters are great. My kids love reading it and I know they're learning something really valuable also.