Richard Jones

A fox wonders how he should prepare for the coming winter, but what other animals advise will not work for him until another fox comes to his aid.

Small Bear's mother promises stories before their winter slumber if Small Bear will help prepare with no dilly dallying, but the playful cub finds it hard to stick to her tasks.

"A freewheeling romp through the world of imagery and metaphor, this quietly startling collection of thirty poems, framed by the four elements, is about art and reality, fact and fancy. Look around: what do you see? A clown balancing a pie in a tree, or an empty nest perched on a leafless branch? As poet Connie Wanek alludes to in her afterword--a lively dialogue with former US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser--sometimes the simplest sights and sounds "summon...