Take Me Home, Country Roads: Score and CD Included!

Take Me Home, Country Roads, a book following the lyrics of John Denver's first hit song, is a great teaching tool for young readers about family and appreciation for the natural world around us.

This brilliant picture book adaptation of John Denver's first hit song is all about roots, family, and country. Set in Appalachia, a humorously diverse bunch of relatives and their in-laws go up, down and around the hills of West Virginia to converge by car, pickup, and motorcycle to a family reunion at Grandma and Grandpa's country home. True to Appalachian style, Canyon portrays it all as if on a quilt, complete with little stitches between the "fabric." The lyrics demand to be sung!

A book for:

• fans of John Denver wanting to share his music with their kids!
• anyone who wants to inspire children to appreciate the country!
• Parents and children looking for feelings of security and comfort!

John Denver's love for nature, his hope and belief in the future, and his brilliance of expression inspired so many people toward "higher ground." Although he died in 1997, we are pleased to bring his timeless lyrics to the next generation. As he wrote in one of his songs:

Celebrate living,

The laughter that sings in heart of a child,

The freedom that flies at the call of the wild,

Celebrate living.

Dawn Publications' John Denver & Kids picture book series, illustrated by award-winning illustrator Christopher Canyon, includes: Sunshine On My Shoulders, Ancient Rhymes: A Dolphin Lullaby and Take Me Home, Country Roads.

Christopher Canyon is the illustrator of several wonderful books for children. When he isn't in his studio, Christopher enjoys traveling and providing educational and entertaining programs for schools, libraries, and conferences. Christopher received his formal art education at the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio. His work has been selected for many exhibits and publications including the Society of Illustrators, the Mazza Collection at the university of Findlay, Ohio, and the Natural History magazine.

Currently Christopher is adapting and illustrating several of John Denver's songs as children's picture books. The critically acclaimed Sunshine On My Shoulders was released by Dawn Publications in 2003, Ancient Rhymes: A Dolphin Lullaby in 2004, and Take Me Home, Country Roads in September 2005.

Christopher Canyon shares some thoughts on the project: "To have this opportunity to share John Denver's music and message with the children of today is truly a dream. John gave the world so many thoughtful songs about relationships; our global need to live together in peace and the importance of caring for our environment. These messages, as relevant today as ever, and John's music and voice continue to touch our lives and lift our spirits."

Three of Christopher's books, Sunshine On My Shoulders, The Tree in the Ancient Forest and Stickeen, have won the American Bookseller Association's Benjamin Franklin Award for best children's picture book of the year. Chistopher is also the illustrator of Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You and the beautiful Earth trilogy, Earth and You - A Closer View: Nature's Features, Earth and Us - Continuous: Nature's Past & Future, and Earth and Me - Our Family Tree: Nature's Creatures. Christopher lives with his wife and cat in central Ohio.