"A rare gift for lovers of timeless tales, well told."
—Christian Science Monitor

"David Francis effectively and expressively narrates this gem."
—Terri Perper, School Library Journal

Sophie and Emilio spend their days enjoying life’s small discoveries in a tiny seaside village with their best pet friend ‘Sir’ and a mischievous crow. Sophie’s regular visits and gift exchanges with her great-uncle leads to teachings about how value is determined by the intentions of the heart. The wisdom of Old Man Tom’s eloquent quote “It’s all in the nature of things”, sums up this poetic tale of friendship, inevitable change, values, mentorship, old age, overcoming loss, discovery and rites of passage.

Gilles Vigneault is hailed as one of French-Canada’s most influential music figures of the 20th century. He has received numerous distinctions including the “Grand prix du disque de l’Academie Charles-Cros” in France and the “Medaille Vermeil” offered by the City of Paris.

Gilles Vigneault is a member of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and is hailed as one of Canada’s most important music figures of the 20th century. He has received numerous distinctions including the French Grand Prix du disque de l'Académie Charles-Cros and the Médaille Vermeil from the city of Paris. He is the author of Sunday in Kyoto and A Treasure in the Garden. Stéphane Jorisch is a four-time winner of the Governor General's Literary Award, the Ruth-Schwartz Children's Book Award, and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award. He is the illustrator of Sunday in Kyoto and A Treasure in the Garden and has also created set designs for Cirque du Soleil. They both live in Montreal, Quebec.