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Constance's
Story Trail

Read & Walk Along the Trails

Constance’s Story Trail is made possible through a generous grant to the Parks Foundation by former Highland Park resident Marc Mar-Yohana in collaboration with Heller Nature Center and our extraordinary volunteers. This was Mar-Yohana’s touching tribute to his late daughter and to celebrate her love of nature and reading. Constance and her father had shared many joyous hours reading the books posted along Heller Nature Center’s story trail.

Featured books along the trail change seasonally and include some of Constance’s favorites books. Organizers also hope to offer a chance for local youth to display their writing.

Constance’s Story Trail is based on the StoryWalk® Project. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.

About Constance

“It was something we always loved to do together,” said Mar-Yohana, explaining that Constance was on the autism spectrum and had difficulty with physical coordination and speaking. “The Nature Center really gave her a chance to exercise. She liked seeing the trees and shuffling her feet through the leaves in the fall and got excited watching squirrels running, birds flying by, and frogs jumping in the pond.”

The posted stories made their visits to Heller Nature Center even more rewarding since Constance’s ability to speak was at its best when reading aloud. “The books gave her an extra incentive to walk the full trail,” Mar-Yohana said. “Our goal in bringing it back is to make it last with the best available equipment. I really want other families to be able to enjoy it.”

Beneath

Featured Book

In this stunning story from New York Times bestselling creator Cori Doerrfeld, a child and their grandfather take a walk in the woods and discover more about themselves.

Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn’t want to talk about it. After some persuading, though, they agree to go for a hike with Grandpa. Throughout their forest walk, they see many different things: big, strong trees with networks of roots growing underneath, still water with schools of fish swimming below, and an expectant bird with eggs nestled under her.

It’s when the pair pass fellow hikers that Finn realizes that people, just like the elements of nature, are more than they appear. Grandpa explains that sometimes beneath a person who seems like they won’t understand what you’re feeling, is someone feeling the exact same way.

This sweet and tender picture book celebrates our similarities, differences, and that there’s always more under the surface of what we can see.

Beneath will be the featured book during October-November 2024.

Questions?

Contact Us

Meghan
Meredith
Program Manager
847.579.4183
Mark
Bryant
Naturalist Teacher
847.579.4184
Cara
Wren
Office Coordinator
847.579.4181