In the springtime, when the sun shines bright and the earth begins to warm, the Root Children are hard at work underground, painting the bugs and sewing their flowering costumes. Then, in a glorious procession, Mother Earth sends them out into the land for an exuberant masquerade.

But seasons change, and eventually the frosty autumn winds rip away their colorful flowering costumes, marking the end of their time to play. Now Mother Earth calls them back to their underground beds to sleep—until spring returns once again.

Audrey Wood's haunting retelling and Ned Bittinger's spectacular oil paintings breathe fresh life into this enchanting favorite old German story about birth and rebirth.

From the dust jacket