The Golden Pine Cone
The Golden Pine Cone is a novel by Canadian author Catherine Anthony Clark. The main characters are siblings Bren and Lucy, who find a golden pine cone in the woods and go to the spirit world in order to give it to its rightful owner, Tekontha, ruling spirit of British Columbia, where it takes place. The Golden Pine Cone was Clark's first novel. It was originally published in 1950. An illustrated second edition was published by Harbour Publishing in 1994. In their critical review of Canadian children's books, The New Republic of Childhood, Sheila Egoff and Judith Saltman describe The Golden Pine Cone as "ahead of its time." Synopsis Bren and Lucy are playing in the woods when Lucy finds the Golden Pine Cone, dangling from an alder branch. She and Bren walk home, but on their way, they meet a homeless man. They give him something to eat and as a reward for their kindness he gives them his dog, Ooshka. That night, an evil giant named Nasookin comes, seeking the Golden Pine Cone, which is really an earring, belonging to Tekontha (Ooshka, who can talk, tells them this). They hide in the cow tunnel, as Nasookin cannot fit.