"Evergreen collected herself and then
found her way back to the trail. How
frightening Buckthorn is, she thought.
And yet, she had rather enjoyed the
adventure.
Before continuing, she stopped at a
sparkling stream to have a drink.
When suddenly came another loud
and terrible and ground-shaking
noise."
Evergreen is a young squirrel living high in a tree in Buckthorn Forest. From there, she feels quite content even though she has a real fear of most things. She especially dislikes thunderstorms. She is not afraid of soup. Her mother's soups are magical. For that reason, Mama asks Evergreen to take an acorn full of healing soup to Granny Oak. Evergreen is filled with fear; she would rather not go. Mama is insistent as she has other soup to make and cannot take the time for delivery.
Mama knows she can do it. Evergreen is not at all convinced. Reluctantly, she dons her shawl and is on her way, knowing she must not spill a drop. At the end of this first part of her story, Evergreen is filled with anxiety about the job given and her travels through the terrifying Buckthorn Forest. She is scared, and she is alone. As her journey unfolds, she meets a number of forest creatures and deals with a series of adventures that take surprise turns from beginning to end.
What a storyteller Matthew Cordell is, and what a gifted artist as well. The characters are expressive and appealing. The pen-and-watercolor artwork is vintage Cordell, filled with detailed scenarios that are sure to fully entertain listeners as they travel with Evergreen on her great adventure. The six parts can be read one at a time, allowing listeners a chance to anticipate what might happen next. The final part hints that this may not be Evergreen's only foray into a brave new world.
Bravo to Evergreen, and to Matthew Cordell for this brilliant story to share time and again!
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