Grand Old Oak and the Birthday Ball

The follow-up to If You Go Down to the Woods Today, a Grand Old Oak and the Birthday Ball is a charming picture book that invites readers to join Bear and his friends through the seasons as they prepare a party filled with love, homemade delights, and woodland magic.

Welcome friends and settle in:
there’s lots to do and see
as I tell you the story
of our oldest, wisest tree . . .

Old Oak is Bear’s favorite tree in the woodland. With its gnarled trunk, giant branches, and glossy leaves, Oak supports hundreds of Bear’s friends, big and small. So when Bear learns that Oak is turning 500 years old, he decides to plan an extra-special birthday celebration.

With original poems by acclaimed writer Rachel Piercey and fun color art by Freya Hartas, this delightful tale features more than 100 hidden objects to spot and makes a great birthday present for children to immerse themselves in and explore.

Rachel Piercey is a freelance poet, editor, and tutor. She has co-edited three children’s poetry anthologies with the Emma Press and regularly performs her work and runs poetry workshops in primary schools. Piercey’s poems for adults have been published in various journals, including The Poetry Review, Magma, and The Rialto, as well as two pamphlets with the Emma Press and one with HappenStance. She lives in London.
Freya Hartas is a UK-based illustrator specializing in children’s books. She lives in the vibrant city of Bristol with her partner and their ancient black cat, Katsu, and works from her cozy, cluttered desk in a shared studio down the road. She graduated from Falmouth University in 2014 with a first-class honors BA in illustration. Hartas loves to conjure up humorous characters, animals, and monsters, creating the most fantastical worlds for them to inhabit and get lost in.