In a Nutshell by Joesph Anthony and illustrated by Cris Arbo is a treasure indeed. Just as the mightiest oak begins its life as a tiny acorn, and the greatest life begins with a single dream, so the infinite web of all living things is born of the simplest reality.

Who we are. Why we are here. Where we come from and where we go. Every child ponders life's greatest questions. Here, in a nutshell, is a tale about life.

In the author's words: "Expressing this idea in a way that could be grasped and appreciated by young and old alike became the journey that produced in 'In A Nutshell'. The text took a few years to manifest, not because it is complex, but rather because the idea is so fundamental to the human experience that superficial layers of intellectual understanding had to be peeled away in order to access the true, poignant story beneath.

Following the writer's journey, Cris' artwork was as integral to the completion of the book as the manuscript, and took her eight grueling months to complete. Her research was comprehensive and exacting, from log cabin dimensions and building techniques to amphibian anatomy and ecosystems. The only illustration suggestion I gave her was to have a human community develop throughout the course of the oak's life; the real genius was up to her."

9 x 11 inches, softcover, ages 3-10.