This alphabet book brilliantly conveys the essence of 19th-century American author, naturalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau's solitary sojourn at Walden Pond. For each letter of the alphabet, McCurdy selects an item symbolizing Henry's simple, secluded Walden world, including an anecdotal paragraph explaining how each fits into the Walden idyll, often with comparisons to Walden Pond as it is now. From "A" for the angry ants whose battles Henry described in Walden to "Z" for the zephyrs cooling the pond on summer nights, the alphabetical selections give readers a unique peek at Henry and the natural world he immortalized.