{"product_id":"leaf-town-forever-9781517917371","title":"Leaf Town Forever","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe true story of a Midwestern \"town\" created with leaves, sticks, and children's imaginations\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Leaf Town suddenly springs up. One day the clearing outside the school is empty, and the next it's a bustling town complete with a hotel, shop, and mayor. Children gather and find treasures everywhere: feathers, acorns, lost rings, an old medal, and plenty of leaves and pine needles. They even uncover a silver skeleton key in the muddy banks of a nearby creek and proclaim it the heart of Leaf Town. As the town grows, it attracts the attention of the kids up the street, and a colossal fight threatens to destroy everything that was built. But the heart of Leaf Town is saved, and the kids rally to rebuild their city together, expanding to welcome the neighboring kids as well as all sorts of birds and animals. They hang a sign, \u003cb\u003eLeaf Town Forever\u003c\/b\u003e, and pass the key to the next generation of children who will look after their beloved town. \u003cp\u003e Based on a true story, \u003ci\u003eLeaf Town Forever\u003c\/i\u003e is the gentle tale of a town created by children with vivid imaginations. The timeless and universal saga, written in haiku, reminds both kids and adults that some dreams are worth protecting. Unfurling over the cycle of seasons, this is the story of an enchanting place full of tenacity and hope, creativity and fun--a connection to the natural world within reach for us all if we unite to make and maintain it. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She is author of five novels, including \u003ci\u003eLillian Boxfish Takes a Walk\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eCher Ami and Major Whittlesey, \u003c\/i\u003eas well as the poetry collection \u003ci\u003eWhere Are the Snows\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Chicago and teaches at DePaul University. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Beth Rooney is a visual journalist based in Oak Park, Illinois. A writer and photographer, she is drawn to stories that explore our place in the world and show how individual circumstances reflect larger truths. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Betsy Bowen is author and illustrator of many children's books, including \u003ci\u003ePlant a Pocket of Prairie\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Forest, \u003c\/i\u003eboth published by the University of Minnesota Press. She lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Minnesota Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51649053917458,"sku":"9781517917371","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_312aa738-5fb6-475b-8258-2bde6df5f2f2.jpg?v=1759844801","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/leaf-town-forever-9781517917371","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}