Grandfather Four Winds and Rising Moon

Despairing over the effects of a withering drought on his homeland, little Rising Moon turns to his grandfather, Four Winds, for reassurance that the natural world will survive, and is told the parable of the resilient Apple Tree.

Michael Chanin has a master's degree in counseling from the University of San Francisco and is a counselor and social worker specializing in the needs of children and adolescents. He has found that "as a clinician, I have the opportunity to use stories with my young clients. Sometimes these stories are tools to teach a lesson or soothe a troubled soul; they are often an effective way to touch the spark of wonder in us all." Mr. Chanin lives in Santa Cruz, California, with his wife, Kim, and their two cats.

Sally J. Smith grew up in pastoral Vermont surrounded by lakes, woods, mountains, and animals. As a result, she developed a deep love and respect for the natural world. While living in Colorado for ten years, she began her journey into the world of spirit as taught in indigenous cultures, particularly those of Native Americans. For the past four years she has dedicated herself to painting images that make graphic many of these beliefs. She returned to her native Vermont, where she lives with Muffin, "the most wonderful cat in the world.":