Puma Dreams

K-Gr 3– A farm girl dreams of seeing a puma in the wild. Her gram tells her that this is a “long-dream,” since pumas are elusive and their population is dwindling. The girl is determined and makes a plan. She invests her allowance in a salt lick. Months go by; the girl goes about her daily life and waits. Her patience pays off when she finally sees a puma licking her salt lick. The girl thinks he looks like a great golden ghost and she is inspired to pursue a new dream—to preserve and protect wild puma populations. Printed in landscape format, the realistic illustrations of a farmhouse and outdoor vistas are created with a combination of acrylic, pencil, and ink with frame-worthy skill. A soft and natural color palette places readers through the seasons gazing along the long horizon. Gently poetic first-person prose emphasizes the quiet beauty in the every day. An endnote contains information about pumas and a list of organizations dedicated to puma initiatives.