The Waterfall’s Gift
The insistent voice of the waterfall rings through the old north woods, beckoning a listening child back to the secret place she once shared with her grandfather. Its call mingles with the lively sounds of the forest in a reassuring blend of past and present.
In this lyrical tale, the young narrator visits the cabin her Grampa built and rediscovers the familiar woodland haunts they used to explore together. Now that Grampa’s gone she wanders alone yet feels a comforting sense of oneness with the forest, remembering his words, “The Old North Woods hides secrets in its deepest places”.
When Rick Halverson, designer of this book, read that the story was set in the North Woods, he said I had to come to his North Woods. Rick arranged for us to stay at Naniboujou Lodge, on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota.
I hiked and painted for weeks, wandering through the North Woods of Minnesota. These are two plein air studies from those outings.
There are berries to taste and smooth stones to skip across the water. And a surprise is waiting for her in the pool at the foot of the waterfall.
Can you find the hidden animals in this birch forest?
Other hidden treasures to search for in the book: great horned owl, cedar waxwing, red-tailed hawks, meadowlark, pileated woodpecker, pheasant, dove, cliff swallows, chickadees, ducks, water ouzels or dippers, bees, pillbugs, dragonflies, ladybugs, spiders, frogs, salamanders, otter, fox, deer, rabbit, centipede, caterpillar, raccoon, chipmunk, black bear, squirrel, mouse, a dog.
“I feel lucky, letting the clouds roll by above me, feeling summer begin in the old north woods.”
Look for the rollie pollie pillbugs and my hidden signature in each of the illustrations. Here’s a hint from the grassy field above.
I painted the final illustrations using egg tempera paint made with our eggs—each morning mixing a fresh egg yolk with powdered pigments and distilled water. The paint was then applied layer upon thin, translucent layer. Over time, egg tempera develops a unique luminous effect caused by exquisitely tiny crystals on the top layer that magically shimmer in the light.
Commadeering eggs for painting each day frustrated the hens, who went into witness protection programs so we couldn’t find their eggs. Before long a new batch of baby chicks were peeping around the yard.
The book’s title calligraphy was created by Faith Pray, my daughter and fellow author-illustrator. You can see her books by clicking here.
Awards and Reviews:
Teachers’ Choice Award, International Reading Association
“There is much more here than a simple tale of a girl communing with the outdoors. There is the awakening of all five senses, a remembering of deceased loved ones, a connection to the past, and a hope for the future. Ryder’s poetic language sets the perfect pace for this story about discovery and solitude while Watson’s detailed egg tempera illustrations add the final layer to this beautifully crafted book.” School Library Journal
“Joanne Ryder’s superbly engaging story of loss and renewal amidst a natural setting is richly enhanced with the museum quality paintings of Richard Jesse Watson…. Every school and community library in the country should have The Waterfall’s Gift available in their collections.” Midwest Book Review
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The Waterfall’s Gift, by Joanne Ryder, illustrated by RJ Watson
Gibbs Smith, Sierra Club 2001 ISBN 1578051134 ISBN-13: 978-1578051137 ISBN 087156579X