Summer Moon

Rating:
Summary: Stunning Conclusion to an Acclaimed Series
Review: SUMMER MOON concludes the SEASONS OF THE MOON series, which was originally published as the THIRTEEN MOONS series in the 1960's, and thirty years later in beautiful harcover editions with new illustrations. For the first time ever, the books are available in paperback, condensed from thirteen separate books to four volumes each containing three stories. Critically acclaimed naturalist and author Jean Craighead George writes with the same detailed and intriguing prose as was found in her Newbery Medal- winning classic JULIE OF THE WOLVES and MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. Her love for animals shines through in these detailed accounts of North American species whose lives revolve around the seasonal changes of the moon. In SUMMER MOON we first meet a bumbling family of fox pups, who are learning from their parents how to become good hunters. The pups' lessons are filled with humor and insight into fox life. We see them develop from playful youngsters to elegant adolescents, while at the same time learning about the habitat of their sparkling Pennsylvania home, filled with singing birds and flowers bursting into June bloom. Next, we are taken from the Northeast to the scorching Sonoran desert of Arizona, where a lost peccary piglet wanders under towering cacti and over sizzling earth, trying to find his close-knit family. A thunderstorm is rolling ominously toward the piglet, and he, like the other animals of the desert, must prepare for the sudden, short-lived, and violent torrents that are approaching. The Arizona desert is depicted so well, you can practically feel the heat waves, and you learn that pigs, which may seem unlikely heroes, are affectionate family members and intelligent, interesting creatures. Finally, the moon of August is hanging above a herd of elk making their way down a rocky slope in Washington state, unaware that they are being watched by the fiery eyes of a lone mountain lion. The predator stalks quietly through the hemlock forests until he happens upon a couple of orphaned young lions and abandons his solitary life. The setting of the great mountain peaks is dramatic and eerie. You may learn a new respect for this beautiful and misunderstood predator. SUMMER MOON, like the other books in the series, is a satisfying read that will leave you with a graphic picture of the featured environments and have you carrying fresh and accurate knowledge of wildlife. Check out the other books in the series as well as Ms. George's other stunning nature stories. You may want to listen to Chris Kubie's charming accompanying CD MUSIC OF THE THIRTEEN MOONS as you read.