A grandfather clock makes a lovely home for a family of mice, if you don’t mind the noise. And there Hickory lives, with his parents, his brother Dickory, and his sister Dock. But Hickory is a restless, fearless mouse, and he longs to smell fresh air and nibble on wild strawberries in the fields. So one day in early spring, with the smells of honeysuckle and clover guiding him, he strikes out on his own. Soon he discovers that a meadow can be a lonely place, even with all the beetles and caterpillars. It’s not until Hop the grasshopper comes around that Hickory finds a true companion. But, Hop warns, when the days get shorter and the goldenrod begins to fade, the “song she sings will soon be done.” How Hickory and Hop confront and eventually accept the end of summer forms the core of Palmer Brown’s poignant and beautiful story.<br><br> <i>Hickory</i> is story of a friendship, but it is also a field guide to the common plants and flowers of spring, summer, and autumn, beautifully rendered in Palmer Brown’s most colorful and joyous drawings.