• Age: 3 to 5
• Grade: p to k
• Reading age: 3 to 5

There once was a little blue jay called Pineshish and because it was wounded, it needed refuge.

It asked the birch and the maple trees for help but in vain. They refused. Pineshish had to find shelter. The fir tree provided it. Protected from the winds and the storms, the blue jay got better and recovered, fed by the generous fir tree. Soon, the trees that had neglected to help Pineshish when it was in need started to lose their leaves for the first time in the fall. Mother Nature can avenge the weak ones in many ways. By taking away their ornaments, Mother Nature punished deciduous trees for being so selfish and heartless, so the story goes. Every year after that, deciduous trees lose their leaves, and the fir trees keep their needles and their evergreen look always.

Michel Noel is the author of several award-winning books for young people, including La ligne de trappe, which won the Governor General's Award and the Prix Alvine Belisle for the best children's book published in Quebec. Because his father worked for an international paper company, Michel grew up in the logging camps of northern Quebec, living alongside the Algonquian of Lac Rapide, Lac Victoria and Maniwaki. He now lives in Quebec City.

Michel Noël's profile page

Camille Lavoie’s approach can either be realistic or closer to the world of fairy tales. She works at Studio Blanc in Montreal where dreams can come true.

Camille Lavoie's profile page