Woody and the Candle Mountain is the story of a day in Woody's life, as she wanders through her hometown looking hopelessly for something worth doing. She meets many local characters along the way, who all somehow manage to offer the same peace, love and granola advice, and small tokens of inspiration, which she gloomily accepts and moves on. Eventually, she visits the candle shop to admire the legendary Candle Mountain, a massive wax sculpture created over many years from hundreds of thousands of melted candles. But even this awe-inspiring monument to persistence and growth, and the kind wisdom of the candle maker and his wife, can't budge Woody's mood. But just when she's convinced that her day's search has been completely useless, she finds herself in a place where her little bits of knowledge make a world of difference.
Author: Crystal Schachter lives in Woodstock, NY, where she and her husband Ben grew up and now raise their son, Jonah Bear. In 2012 they proudly took stewardship of Candlestock and the legendary Candle Mountain, begun in 1969 by Ben's Aunt Barbara and Uncle Dennis, a candle maker.
Illustrator: Margarete de Soleil has lived in Woodstock since 2009, moving from Montana, Manhattan, Maine, and Maryland. An army brat born in Germany, she is the sixth of ten children from a family of avid readers. She walked into Candlestock peddling evergreen peace wreaths, only to be hired on the spot, and when Crystal discovered her artistic talents, a partnership blossomed. Margarete is a teaching artist and exhibits throughout the Hudson Valley.