3During the last decade, author Daryl McCullough faced the illness of his mother as she was battling cancer. After her death, he cleaned out his childhood desk and found an earlier draft of this story, which was written as a junior high school assignment. A metaphorical tale about understanding and coping with death, his ailing mother had left this manuscript for him to find again. With some rewriting along with inspiring illustrations by his talented aunt Maryanne Smith, they capture the essence and beauty of nature, while providing some insight into the mysteries of life, change, and death. The Story of Tree and Cloud, a picture book for children and adults, shares the story of an ages-old oak tree named Folie who lives on the top of a golden California coastal hillside. Throughout the seasons of her life, Folie sees and experiences many fascinating things, but she also experiences loss and the resulting grief. Soon, she comes to understand that her loved one's spirit lives on, and she finds solace in that.