DRIFTWOOD DAYS by William Miniver, illustrated by Charles Vess shares the importance of driftwood to the earth's river, ocean, and beach ecosystems but it is disappearing. With the help of scientists, will beavers be able to restore this beautiful and valuable resource?
Characters: Beaver, driftwood, turtles, gulls, boy
Theme: the seasonal life cycle of driftwood
Conflict: a journey
Perspective: third person
Plot: A beaver builds his lodge and a branch breaks away. The branch travels downstream. Along the way, it stops and stays for a while. When it resumes its journey, it reaches the ocean and becomes an oasis for seabirds. Until waves carry the branch to the shore and a boy picks it up. Only now it isn't a branch, it is a driftwood pen and sword.
Style: poem
Setting: stream, river, ocean ecosystem
