Maple Leaf Adventure: A Journey in the Wind

“What a happy and colorful story! I think little ones will be in awe of the colors and the pattern of travel of the Maple Leaf. One can easily picture each scene that is beautifully described by this author.”

—Diana Pishner Walker, Award Winning Children’s Book Author

“This beautifully illustrated story is about an autumn journey as seen through the eyes of a maple leaf. It is a delightful reminder to all of us about the beauty that we see on our daily journeys, if only we take the time to look.”

—Douglas G Lee, President Waynesburg University “The rich colors in this fun adventure capture fall in the mountains. This is a beautiful book for your children and grandchildren.”

—Tom McConnell, Director WVU Small Farm Center

Maple Leaf Adventure—A Journey in the Wind

“Delight in this whimsical tale of life as seen from the perspective of a maple leaf.

Luxuriate in the rich warm tones of existence in the American countryside. Relax, get comfy, and enjoy the ride.”

—Robin Doyle, Retired Elementary School Teacher, Harrisonburg VA

Susan Harper is an Internal Revenue Agent with the US Department of Treasury, an owner and instructor with Pennsylvania Tax Institutes, an AFAA Group Fitness Instructor, and winner of the 2018 Dancing with the Stars Marion County where she and her dance partner raised a record-breaking $38,000 for United Way. Twenty years ago, she wrote Maple Leaf Adventures for her daughter, Emily, after reading countless children’s books.

Inspired by her family and friends, Susan decided to add book author to her list of credentials with her debut children’s book.

Susan lives in Fairmont WV with her two children, Emily and James, and enjoys concerts, cooking, and kicking up the leaves on a brisk fall day!

Susan Harper illustrated by Christobal Mikhovski

A Journey in the Wind

Susan Harper ILLUSTRATED BY

Christobal Mikhovski

Maple Leaf Adventure—A Journey in the Wind

by Susan Harper illustrated by Christobal Mikhovski copyright ©2019 Susan Harper All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents, except where noted otherwise, are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any other resemblance to actual people, places or events is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books.

To order additional copies of this book, or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Kids P. O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 Email: mybook@headlinebooks.com www.headlinebooks.com Ashley Teets—Art Director Lucas Kelly—Design/Layout Published by Headline Books Headline Kids is an imprint of Headline Books ISBN-13: 9781946664433

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018956906

PR I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D STAT E S OF A M E R IC A

For my children—Emily and James May the wind blow you to beautiful and inspiring places wherever they may be. Land gently and know you are surrounded by love so vast that you will never stand out of it today, tomorrow, always and forever.

I love you! Mom

One beautiful, brisk fall day, Maple McHenry gently fell to the soft green grass beneath his summer home. You see, he’s a Maple Leaf.

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He joined his brothers and sisters who fell before him and playfully wrestled in the cool wind beneath the autumn sun.

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Betty Birch, Oliver Oak, Emily Elm, Chestnut Charlie, and Locust Laura joined in the fun.

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After playing with his friends, he floated in the wind to a lovely flower garden.

All summer Maple McHenry admired this lovely flower garden from his twig on the limb of a branch of the magnificent Maple Tree.

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The flowers were very pretty and had the sweetest smell. Sunflowers, clematis, and butterflies filled the flower garden.

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He traveled in the wind to a golden meadow with freshly cut haystacks and a weathered scarecrow.

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Playful brown rabbits scurried beneath Mr. Scarecrow, who wore a tattered old hat and a red checkered shirt under his overalls. A cardinal perched on Mr. Scarecrow’s right shoulder as the cardinal looked for a meal.

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Peeking through the trees into the meadow was a graceful deer grazing on the green grass with his brother. The deer had been just a fawn last time Maple McHenry saw him. His big brown eyes carefully watched Maple McHenry float in the wind to the meadow.

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In the middle of the golden meadow was a shallow pond with fish, ducks, and turtles. The fish playfully swam and jumped to the surface of the water creating quite the splash!

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The ducks bobbled up and down in the ripples of the water while warming their brown feathers in the afternoon sunshine. The smallest turtle continued his march to the pond determined to join his friends who were now swimming with the fish and ducks.

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Lastly, an old man was sitting at the edge of the shallow pond, painting a canvas using colors of yellow, green, orange, red and blue.

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He smiled as he dipped his paintbrush into his bucket of water and dried his brush with his colorful towel. His picture was now complete! Curious, Maple McHenry floated around the back of the old man to see.

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He had to admit, his painting was extraordinarily beautiful! You see, he was painting Maple McHenry and his magnificent Maple Tree!

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The maple leaf is the national sy mbol of Canada.

souri is s i M , e g Cartha erica’s m A “ d e nicknam City.” eaf Maple L

Maple tre to a he es can grow igh 148 fee t of 33 to t!

its called u r f e c u prod them by or Maples w o n k rs” . We samaras s” or “helicopte Have ey s.” “maple k s” or “polynose lling fa ird “whirlyb ied to catch one tr you ever aple tree? em from th

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find You can urope, E n i s e l map d frica, an A h t r o N merica.

A h t r o N

Sugar map les are tapp ed for sap, wh ich is boile d to produce de licious map le syrup, map le sugar, an d maple taffy.

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Locust Leaf

Birch Leaf

Oak Leaf

Elm Leaf

Chestnut Leaf

Maple Leaf

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Pollen (noun)

A fine to coarse powdery substance comprising pollen grains.

Samara (noun)

A winged nut containing one seed.

Sap (noun)

The fluid, chiefly water with dissolved sugars and mineral salts, that circulates in the vascular system of a plant.

Tonewood (noun)

Specific wood varieties that possess tonal properties that make them good choices for use in acoustic stringed instruments.

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Musical instruments are often made of maple, as maple wood carries sound waves well. Therefore, maple wood is a tonewood.

The back, sides and neck of most violins, violas, cellos and double bases are made from maple. Very cool! As maple is a heavier wood, few guitars are made entirely from maple, but many guitars have maple necks, tops or veneers. Drums are made from maple, too!

What can you find in your home made of maple?

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“What a happy and colorful story! I think little ones will be in awe of the colors and the pattern of travel of the Maple Leaf. One can easily picture each scene that is beautifully described by this author.”

—Diana Pishner Walker, Award Winning Children’s Book Author

“This beautifully illustrated story is about an autumn journey as seen through the eyes of a maple leaf. It is a delightful reminder to all of us about the beauty that we see on our daily journeys, if only we take the time to look.”

—Douglas G Lee, President Waynesburg University “The rich colors in this fun adventure capture fall in the mountains. This is a beautiful book for your children and grandchildren.”

—Tom McConnell, Director WVU Small Farm Center

Maple Leaf Adventure—A Journey in the Wind

“Delight in this whimsical tale of life as seen from the perspective of a maple leaf.

Luxuriate in the rich warm tones of existence in the American countryside. Relax, get comfy, and enjoy the ride.”

—Robin Doyle, Retired Elementary School Teacher, Harrisonburg VA

Susan Harper is an Internal Revenue Agent with the US Department of Treasury, an owner and instructor with Pennsylvania Tax Institutes, an AFAA Group Fitness Instructor, and winner of the 2018 Dancing with the Stars Marion County where she and her dance partner raised a record-breaking $38,000 for United Way. Twenty years ago, she wrote Maple Leaf Adventures for her daughter, Emily, after reading countless children’s books.

Inspired by her family and friends, Susan decided to add book author to her list of credentials with her debut children’s book.

Susan lives in Fairmont WV with her two children, Emily and James, and enjoys concerts, cooking, and kicking up the leaves on a brisk fall day!

Susan Harper illustrated by Christobal Mikhovski