Brother Bartholomew and the Apple Grove
Kindergarten-Grade 4-In a quiet hilltop monastery, eight monks tend a small farm, eking out just enough to survive. Old Brother Bartholomew, who looks after the apple grove, allows the deer to come in and eat the fruit, saying, "God will provide." When young and ambitious Brother Stephen arrives, he is appalled at the state of the orchard and secretly hopes that the elderly monk will die so that he can take it over and improve it. After his death, the younger man puts barbed wire on the fence and a large, beautiful buck is injured while trying to jump over it. The animal looks at Brother Stephen with familiar eyes and speaks to him, saying: "Your pride has caused this harm, my brother." From then on, "a great rush of light filled his heart and flooded his soul," and Brother Stephen shares the apples with the deer. When he grows old and a new young monk asks him why, Brother Stephen replies, "God will provide.… He always does." This simple parable is beautifully illustrated in muted colors and detailed landscapes that show the passing of the seasons and evoke a rural, old-world simplicity. Perhaps a bit sophisticated in theme, this offering will work best when shared with an adult.-Shelley B. Sutherland, Niles Public Library District, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.