"Hoo" is Grey the Kitten? What is her destiny? And why is she riding in a cup, on a DEER? In her debut novel, author Summer Nilsson takes readers on a journey of discovering identity and the gift of empathy. Lush illustrations capture the magic found in the Piney Woods of Nilsson's East Texas hometown and bring the cast of creatures vividly to life. The Land of the Pines is a thought-provoking fantasy tale of friendship and fortitude, sure to capture imaginations of all ages. Grey the Kitten knows that she's meant to be more than just a barn cat. As she grows up on Black Mountain Farm with her mentor Miss Jay the Bird, she can't help but feel that her destiny lies somewhere beyond her beloved farm. But Grey isn't the only one with ideas about her future. The Black Widow and her guiding Hourglass have big plans for the farm, and Grey could be their key to controlling the whole mountain--and all the animals who reside there. When the Widow traps Grey in a web of promises and threats, will this special kitten give up control over her destiny? Or will she become an example of what's possible when you have the courage to forge your own path? Filled with unpredictable twists and turns, The Land of the Pines connects tweens to the transformative power of kindness and intention, all while reinforcing our universal connection to one another.

“Must-Read” and “Tale for all Ages,” InStyle Magazine “Best Children’s Books of 2021 for Middle Grades,” Red Tricycle “The Purpose-Driven Book for Tweens Hitting All the Right Notes,” PaperCity “The Land of the Pines Connects Youth with Authentic Self,” Houston Style Magazine “Movie-worthy . . . a modern-day take on Charlotte’s Web,” CultureMap Houston Featured on NBC’s Texas Today and ABC’s “Kids Under Construction” "Hoo" is Grey the Kitten? What is her destiny? And why is she riding in a cup, on a DEER? In her debut novel, author Summer Nilsson takes readers on a journey of discovering identity and the gift of empathy. Lush illustrations capture the magic found in the Piney Woods of Nilsson’s East Texas hometown and bring the cast of creatures vividly to life. The Land of the Pines is a thought-provoking fantasy tale of friendship and fortitude, sure to capture imaginations of all ages. Grey the Kitten knows that she’s meant to be more than just a barn cat. As she grows up on Black Mountain Farm with her mentor Miss Jay the Bird, she can’t help but feel that her destiny lies somewhere beyond her beloved farm. But Grey isn’t the only one with ideas about her future. The Black Widow and her guiding Hourglass have big plans for the farm, and Grey could be their key to controlling the whole mountain—and all the animals who reside there. When the Widow traps Grey in a web of promises and threats, will this special kitten give up control over her destiny? Or will she become an example of what’s possible when you have the courage to forge your own path? Filled with unpredictable twists and turns, The Land of the Pines connects tweens to the transformative power of kindness and intention, all while reinforcing our universal connection to one another.

First published in 1949 and praised in The New York Times Book Review as "full of beauty and vigor and bite," A Sand County Almanac combines some of the finest nature writing since Thoreau with a call for changing our understanding of land management.

Nature photographer Bob Birdsall celebrates the people and traditions of the Pine Barrens of New Jersey in this handsome coffee-table book. Picking up where John McPhee's The Pine Barrens left off, Birdsall's perceptive lens and an engaging text illumine more than two dozen individuals and their ways of life—many of which are fast vanishing. From “Piney” hunter-gatherers who still live off the land, to hardworking baymen and farmers, to volunteers and public servants, artisans and entrepreneurs, scientists, conservationists, and educators, these men and women typify the bold and creative spirit of the region. With roots in the pines going back 200 years or more, many are deeply committed to preserving tradition, while others are relative newcomers who came to visit and stayed to fight for the future of a wilderness at risk. What the “People of the Pines” share in common—as evidenced by Bob Birdsall's intimate and inspiring portraits—is a boundless passion for this unique and storied land.

Most people think of New Jersey as a suburban-industrial corridor that runs between New York and Philadelphia. Yet in the low center of the state is a near wilderness, larger than most national parks, which has been known since the seventeenth century as the Pine Barrens. The term refers to the predominant trees in the vast forests that cover the area and to the quality of the soils below, which are too sandy and acid to be good for farming. On all sides, however, developments of one kind or another have gradually moved in, so that now the central and integral forest is reduced to about a thousand square miles. Although New Jersey has the heaviest population density of any state, huge segments of the Pine Barrens remain uninhabited. The few people who dwell in the region, the "Pineys," are little known and often misunderstood. Here McPhee uses his uncanny skills as a journalist to explore the history of the region and describe the people—and their distinctive folklore—who call it home.