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Kingdom of Joy is the home to many magical forests and amazing creatures. In Morning Glory Patch, Joy Babies live peacefully with trees, flowers, and little animals. They have built a harmonious community where every day is a wonderful, playful journey. The adventure begins as the Joy Babies encounter a young tree crying in the forest. He has no name and seems to be lost. As the animals gather around concerned for the sad sapling, the ducks are acting silly to cheer him up. His smile brings so much delight to everyone that they name him "Happy Tree." From that day forward, Happy Tree and the Joy Babies are inseparable.
A series of tragic events occurs after humans leave garbage all over the lakeshore. This leaves the forest beings devastated as they begin cleaning the mess. A terrible fire is accidentally started while exploring a "magic glass on a stick." Happy Tree tries to save the Joy Babies, but the fire is out of control. He gets so scared that he turns purple. More adventures ensue as Happy Tree and Angie Baby flee home, afraid of being blamed for the fire. Along the way, they face hardships and trials. The experience teaches them a lot about friendship, compassion, and courage. They decide to return to Morning Glory Patch, even if it means they might be punished. For better or worse, that is their home.
Timberlake is a nationally recognized professional artist. She has been educating children with poems, stories, videos, and art for decades. Reforestation and the importance of trees are of particular interest to her. Initial ideas for her book began in the sixties when her children were young. This chapter book incorporates the enchantment and adventure that makes children's stories magical. A wide assortment of lively characters, who display a wide array of personalities and emotions, create a make-believe neighborhood. They find themselves in relatable scenarios, such as innocently exploring a new and interesting object that is, in fact, dangerous or accidentally hurting a friend. Timberlake utilizes these situations to give names to feelings, providing a platform for children to process emotions as they build emotional intelligence.
The narrative is perfectly infused with small digestible lessons in compassion, friendship, stewardship, accountability, and community. There is a balance between innocent playfulness and the conflicts between creatures. These values are cleverly demonstrated by examples of the characters' behavior rather than explicitly scripted. With plenty of action to please readers of all ages, the story takes surprising twists and turns.
Timberlake's vibrant artwork complements the spirit of the tale. Setting, characters, and actions come to life with radiant colors. Each page has captivating images that will encourage young students to continue reading. Her employment of various illustration styles enhances the fairy tale quality of the book. She opens the narrative with a poem about the happy tree, introducing students to a range of written art forms. Educators, parents, and children will find themselves spellbound by the story and its captivating art. The author's book is perfect for reading aloud in a classroom or as a bedtime story.