I cast the wilderness itself as a character in the book. It is my belief that the interplay of light and dark elements, good and evil, dreams and waking hours, reality and fantasy is why fairytales enchant and delight readers.Michele Bourke's illustrations depict characters and scenes in a magical way.

Whoa!"Stella shouted.Billy ran ahead, released his tether."Hike!""Let'sGo!"Cautiously, they continued still deeper into the darkness.The canopy dripped snow-melt onto them. Stella shivered.The sleds were silhouettes, the dogs liquid shadows."Listen, what was that?

The tall cityscape that was Anchorage encroached on the wide skies. It was like a giant walking and uninhabited, unclaimed land.

Each evening the night swallowed the sun and gave the raven the sun's energy. He stored this power in his wings, tinged with the blue of Alaskan skies.

The copse of trees shut out the sky at intervals. Between them were gaps; snow, tinged with the faint light of the morning sun, alternated with shadows. This reminded her of all life’s joys and sorrows. The trail was Lifeitself, unfolding.