This book shows the history of a young boy's grandfather who wondered the same woods as he did now as a young boy. He speaks about the things his father saw when he was a child in the same forest that he lives in. He explains how different things were for his grandfather and how many more animals he witnessed than he does. One day when Mark wonders the forest to try and find animals, he finds something even more special. ( )

I'm sorry but this book was just awful. I didn't like it and I don't think children will enjoy it either. Its about a boy living in the woods that at the end discovers indians living in the woods. I think this may be the worst book I've read in a while. I don't think there is a lesson to be learned from it to relate back to kids. ( )

(fiction, young reader) There is something about an older book that is hard to resist. The texture of the paper, the limited colors available for print and the simplicity of story are all likeable draws. This is one of those older books and I'm sure it would appeal to the children. They are not called classics for nothing! This story follows the evolution of a farm as it is passed down generations. As the story progresses and time goes by, the farm shrinks and the surrounding woods grow. As the woods grow, more and more wildlife comes out. The woods take on a personification as they grow in the story. The boy Mark, who is the last character introduced as a farm/woods explorer, wonders how many more critters the woods will spit out as they grow and the farm continues to diminish with generations and age. His answer is found as he explores the woods deeper than he ever has before on a day he is left alone. He discovers ,in the heart of the woods, a lake his great-great grandfather told him about. He also finds a family living at the lake in a primitive native american indian style. It is a magical woodland secret he decides to keep to himself forever. A conversation to have with the children listening would be to ask them why the boy felt it important to keep his secret. ( )