“This story was inspired by Dr. Seuss, his Lorax, and the friends of Eagle River. It is dedicated to life...lost, displaced, and affected by the trashing of special places.” So reads the inscription of the new story, Way back in Time When the Forests Were Green.

A year ago, Earth Day, local elementary teacher Anne Howey was moved to create a local version of Seuss’s timeless tale of environmental waste. Anne is a second-generation Powell Riverian who, as a youth, explored endlessly the area’s forests, rivers and beaches. I was happy to be asked to illustrate the book. I thought it a nice match for a style I’ve developed for my hand-painted cards, using acrylic paint under ink.

After deciding to donate the proceeds to conservation efforts, we designed something small, with the lightest footprint possible, to spread the message. Luckily, local media guru Corey Matsumoto prints right here in town, exclusively on recycled stock, like the magazine you are holding. (Next step—renewable tree-free paper!)

One year after the project’s inception, a standing-room-only crowd took in a reading and toasted the book at its launch on Sunday, April 19th, at Bemused Bistro, where the original illustrations are now on display. For just $10, you can get your own copy of the book. This is a handsome little book, perfect for mailing.