Her head was a hickory nut with an unusually pointed nose, and her eyes and mouth were drawn in with ink. Her body was a twig from an apple tree, complete with arms and legs, hands and feet. The nut head was firmly attached to the body with glue. Miss Hickory wore a blue-and-white checked cotton dress and a ruffled white bonnet tied neatly under her chin in a bow. Anyone seeing Miss Hickory for the first time would surely have said she was the country doll that Miss Ketturah, who ran the general store in Hillsborough, made for Ann. - pp. 7–8 "The barn. Every year at midnight on Christmas Eve, something amazing happens there. My mother took me last Christmas to see it. Only creatures like us—animals and birds—can see it. Big or small, wild or tame, on the ground or in the sky, we all go to the barn to watch. No one is afraid of a creature bigger than themselves there." "I'm too old to be told bedtime stories," Miss Hickory said irritably, tucking the blanket tightly around her feet. "If you believe such nonsense, go see for yourself, Squirrel." - p. 83 By now, Squirrel had eaten almost all of Miss Hickory's head, leaving barely enough for her to speak. But summoning her last bit of strength, she said, "Think of how happy your life has been. The sunsets and mountains you watched! The fine clothes from the forest, and all your friends! The endless food you could pick whenever you liked! The neighbors who were kind to you! But what did you ever do for others? Ah, I'll admit you founded the Ladies' Aid Society. But even that was just to satisfy your own vanity. You've lived selfishly your whole life. You wouldn't even give up your hard head." - p. 133 The joy of discovering the classics anew, the pleasure of keeping them like treasures forever. Why classics, again? Classics that have endured through the ages contain the timeless essence and truth of life that remain unchanged even as the world changes, showing us the true values and paths we must find and preserve. Classics are the nourishment the hungry soul needs. - Lee Geum-yi (author of "You Are a Tiger Lily Too," planning committee member of the Bomulchanggo World Classics Collection) Treasures rediscovered in the age of "classics" - A world classics journey for children and adults to enjoy together The reason classics remain with us after so many years is the excellence of the original works themselves. Most classics published so far for children and teens have been abridged or poorly translated, failing to capture the true flavor and meaning of the originals. That is why the Bomulchanggo World Classics Collection makes complete, unabridged translation its first principle, with each language's finest translators of children's and young adult literature devoting great care to render these works in a fresh, modern voice. The collection also seeks out hidden treasures from around the world—alongside the classics that were required reading for our parents' generation and have been cherished for even longer—introducing them one by one to readers. It also expands readers' horizons by newly discovering, among the wider body of classic literature, works suitable for children and teens to read. The Bomulchanggo World Classics Collection is not just a series of literary works to read. To help readers comfortably digest the substantial length of these complete, unabridged translations, each volume includes rich supplementary material such as author introductions, commentary on the work, photographs, and illustrations, doubling the pleasure of both reading and viewing. Bound in sturdy, elegant hardcover, these books are made to be kept for years to come or given as treasured gifts to loved ones. Reading the Bomulchanggo World Classics Collection brings not only the joy and reward of reading itself, but also cherished reading memories that will last even after 10, 20, or many decades, long into adulthood. The latest addition to the Bomulchanggo World Classics Collection, Miss Hickory and Friends, tells the beautiful and wondrous miracle of nature through the story of Miss Hickory—a doll who looks remarkably human—and her friends. Winning the 1947 Newbery Medal, it has been beloved for its outstanding literary quality for over 60 years.