Ant and Grasshopper

Amazon Best Books of the Month, March 2011: Ant and Grasshopper picks up Aesop’s well-worn fable, The Ant and the Grasshopper, and gives it an added twist. Day in and day out, Ant meticulously counts the beans, raisins, and other goodies he's been saving for the winter, while outside Grasshopper plays his fiddle, sings his songs, and extols Ant to come enjoy the summer sunshine. As in Aesop's, when the cruel winter comes Grasshopper begs Ant to save him for he has not prepared food or shelter. This is where the stories diverge. In Luli Gray’s version, after shutting the door on Grasshopper, Ant has a dream that awakens an appreciation for Grasshopper's musical bounty and he rushes to Grasshopper's rescue. While the original moral message about working hard and planning ahead still comes across, Ant and Grasshopper also reminds readers that valuing others' talents and showing compassion brings the greatest reward of all--friendship.--Seira Wilson