Product Description

All through the winter the Root Children are asleep underground, but when spring comes Mother Nature wakes them up. Then the Root Children are busy cleaning and painting the beetles and bugs. When summer comes they play in the fields, ponds and meadows. Also available in a mini-version.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26049 in Books
• Published on: 1990-04-01
• Original language: German
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 18 pages

Review
'Nothing could date this stunningly illustrated century-old book telling the story of the seasons ... Children are enchanted by images like the root children painting a line of ladybirds with pots of red and black paint. Sibylle von Olfers' careful drawings depict Nature scenes halfway between imagination and reality.' -- Juno Magazine, Top Ten Children's Books

About the Author
The Story of the Root Children is Sibylle von Olfers' (1881-1916) best known work. Her blend of natural observation and use of simple design has led to comparisons with Kate Greenaway and Elsa Beskow.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful, gentle tale that tells the story of the seasons
This is a firm family favourite that is often requested at bedtime. Particularly handy to soothe an unwell child or a very tired child as it is totally positive all the way through. It is rare to find a child's book that avoids using the concept of problem and resolution as the key plot. There is nothing lost, nothing to worry about, no tears or even brief sadness at all.
A simple tale that is based around the changing seasons,the story starts deep underground with "mother earth" waking up all the little "root children" as spring is on the way. My daughter particularly loves the images at this point of all the little children helping mother earth wash and "paint" all the little ladybirds with pots of red and black paint! The root children "make their clothes" out of all different colours representing the petals of all the different woodland flowers (great opportunity for counting and naming the colours and flowers). As spring arrives all the root children parade outside in their lovely new "clothes"..The captivating pictures of little flower "children" playing in the woods and fields are gorgeous. They play with different little insects through summer and talk about autumn. Plenty to look at, the images are so lovely. Finally mother earth (depicted as a lovely "grandmother" type figure) calls all her little children back under the ground for a cozy warm sleep.