Eternal Summer

Stories from the House of Eternal Summer (A book of stories for children of all ages)
by Phil Ryan

Imagine a tranquil setting in a Japan of ancient times, where the villagers live and work amongst the blossoms and bird song in a verdant valley, sheltered by five hills.

On a hillside path, high up from the village, lives an old man - our storyteller. For him, life’s simple pleasures are the most magical; he sees the world through the eyes of a child, but with the wisdom and knowledge of his great age.

His house, the House of Eternal Summer, has a garden where the old man delights to sit. It is into this garden that a young boy arrives one day after chasing and catching a butterfly. After listening to a story told by the old man, he returns each day, sometimes with friends, all full of questions and assumptions about life’s many changing patterns.

Whenever the boy or his friends spend time with the old man, they are told a story that answers their questions or thoughts and comforts them. Each tale is gently told - never censorious, always beautiful. The moral is stated subtly, allowing the boy and his friends to draw their own conclusions. Each story is a guide; an answer, a pointer to a different way of looking at life.

The stories cover such areas as honesty, friendship, fear, work, death, success, race, love and loss - matters of importance to all children. The simple morals drawn from them are universal, crossing culture, gender and age.

The characters are as diverse as dragons and blacksmiths and emperors and butterflies, and the tales will hold the attention of a young audience throughout their telling.

The House of Eternal Summer is a place where children can learn about real life and common and difficult issues, while being amused, interested and entertained. Take a break from your day, stop awhile, turn a page and spend a little time in the House of Eternal Summer 

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