The Sheltering Cedar by Anne Marshall Runyon

A sturdy tree shelters small animals during a storm on Christmas Eve, allowing peace and joy to reign as the tempest clears. Filled with beautiful illustrations of birds, animals, water, and sky, The Sheltering Cedar is a gift of nature, illuminating and delightful. For ages 3-7.

Review
To say The Sheltering Cedar is a lovely book doesn't do it justice. The spare, evocative text and warm, detailed watercolors bespeak Anne Runyon's love for Ocracoke Island. She knows this special place well, has studied its intricately balanced ecosystem with all her senses and now takes the rest of us there with all her heart. The quiet story of a coastal tree sheltering wildlife from a Christmas Eve storm will be bedtime favorite for toddlers, while the author's explanatory note and activities will make this a fun addition to school libraries and classrooms. --Eileen Heyes, author of the O'Dwyer and Grady mysteries

About the Author
Anne Marshall Runyon was born in Washington, DC. Quiet summers on Ocracoke Island nurtured a lifelong interest in the natural world. Anne studied printmaking at Carleton College, and design at the University of Minnesota. She and her family live in Garner, North Carolina. She belongs to the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Ms. Runyon's artwork is also featured throughout North Carolina, in many conservation publications, and in permanent environmental education exhibits.