A highlight of every summer for Emory and his little sister Faye was their special annual visit to their grandmother. At Baba's house, the kids played by the streams, ate blackberries, watched deer, and ran through the woods to their heart's desire. This summer, Emory was particularly intrigued by the rumor of a magical Oaf living near Baba after discovering his dad's Ophir newspaper clippings.

Emory was alert as he explored the streams and wandered through the woods. A flash of light up the hillside began the magical summer he hoped for. A voice floated through the air, the sound of wood twisting in the trees, and a glimpse of a ragged piece of cloth were the first hints of the Oaf. Baba was delighted by Emory's adventures and urged him to offer a sandwich along with a note to the mysterious being who was revealing itself for Emory.

The Oaf revealed his magic with nature after Emory was mysteriously protected from a mountain lion attack. Baba finally shared her encounters with the irresistible Oaf and his ways in the woods. Tantalizing encounters ensued when Faye arrived and the Oaf slowly befriended the children. The Oaf helped them discover their own personal relationship with nature and their own innate gifts of magic with the plants, trees, and wildlife.

The elusive Oaf sparks the imagination, leaving the reader wishing for more! Captivating from beginning to end, Linsteadt weaves an enchanting lyrical tale of a family's search for innocence and wisdom through their connection to nature.

The Oaf in Ophir rekindles the spirit of the forest for young and old to explore, trust, play and come back to time and time again. This children's story will prompt any age to grab a friend and go explore their surrounding ecosystem, one creek at a time.

Creating wonder for youngsters is not as easy as it may seem. To feed young and fertile minds and hold their attention with a fresh story requires not only skill but also authenticity. Dan G Linsteadt accomplishes this quite smoothly in his delightful book, Oaf in Ophir. Linsteadt's development of characters is remarkable-they come alive in just a few pages and they are bound to stay in the reader's imagination long after reading the book. The story is compelling and draws the reader along in a steady flow. It also contains an important message about our relationship with nature and its creatures. That message is folded neatly into the story without any preaching. Oh, to be a child discovering the magic of the woods and streams with the Oaf! I imagine anyone who reads this book will feel exactly that way.