Feridun Oral

This is a newly discovered illustrator, and I very much like his artistry. This is a story about a rabbit and a group of woodland animals who are cold and hungry. A recent snow storm has buried any available food source. Then, the rabbit finds one lone beautiful red apple dangling from a leafless tree.

Just one red apple is enough to try to find a way of reaching it high up in the branches. This illustrator and writer has many books with snow as the theme. His renditions of a soft world covered by deep snow that falls with a pretty dignity are simply lovely.

Soliciting the mouse living in another tree to help him obtain the red apple, together they both are still not tall enough. Mouse asks for help from the fox. Still three are not able to reach the prize. Awaking a bear from sleep. they are now able to reach the goal.

But, the fox sneezes and they all fall. Sadly thinking the apple is lost, they discover it right in the middle of their circle. They eat the apple and are quite pleased with themselves.

While the story is not indepth, the theme is one of co-operation and sharing. Reading this book to a small child not only could solicit peals of laughter, but also teach the benefits of caring and sharing.… (meer)

This is a beautiful story of a cat who lives at the edge of the wood with his owner Walter, From the window, he observes a spunky squirrel. Venturing outside, he learns to play and climb trees with his new-found friend. The harshness of winter, equates to his friend the squirrel limiting his visits.

Lonely, Leo the cat ventures into the woods in search of his friend. Never experiencing snow, Leo walks deeper and deeper into the woods. Soon, he is lost and unsure how to get home. Observing chickadees, rabbits and deer. The new snow buried his paw prints and now very lost and afraid, Leo longs for his squirrel friend to guide him home. As nighttime appears and the snow grows deeper and the air colder, Leo found a large hole in a nearby tree.

Curling together in the squirrel's warm home, In the morning, they played with the other forest animals, but his owner was missed greatly and Leon wanted to find his way home. Squirrel helped him find his way home where his elderly owner had a warm fire blazing and sleeping on Walter's lap felt like a warm home where he belonged.

While the story is simple, the illustrations are lush and beautiful. This illustrator/artist is well-known in Turkey. I will look for other books he illustrated.… (meer)