"After stumbling as a child upon a cluster of Showy Lady's Slippers in bloom, Joe dedicated his life to protecting these rare orchids. In this picture book ... Ian Wallace depicts how [he] became a steward of a fragile piece of land in Eastern Ontario. Thanks to his passion, diligence, and generosity, the Purdon Conservation Area (now the Mississippi Valley Conservation Area) was established in 1982. It is home to one of the largest colonies of Showy Lady's Slippers in North America"--Amazon.com.

IAN WALLACE is one of Canada's best-known children's book creators. He has published many classics, including Boy of the Deeps and Chin Chiang and the Dragon's Dance. His illustrations for Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Just So Stories each received three starred reviews. Ian has won the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award, the Mr. Christie's Book Award and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award, among others. Ian lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife, Deb.