Willy Nilly and Thumper, lifelong friends, have a love of adventure. Today, the dog and rabbit pair go to the San Juan River on their cherished canoe, Carefree, and see a new creek to explore. Joking with each other as usual, the two friends do not see the hungry vultures perched high above them or the lounging crocodile, Charlie, that is floating just on the surface of the water. However, Charlie most certainly notices the them. Sneaking up, Charlie whips his tail at the canoe, and the two friends go into the water. Swimming to shore quickly, they find refuge in a large tree. Now Willy Nilly and Thumper must figure out how to escape Charlie. Trying several plans that fail, the two friends finally get free from Charlie and his monstrous teeth. Escaping this adventure, Willy Nilly and Thumper are still not fazed and decide to continue their adventures right away.

Author Jim Henry, an adventurer himself, first heard stories of Willy Nilly from his father. He took these adventurous tales and continued building new stories for his children and grandchildren. Working with Patterson, an award-winning novelist, he has co-authored four The Adventures of Willy Nilly and Thumper stories thus far. It is no surprise that this story received an Honorable Mention in the 2017 Writer’s Digest for Self-Published Books Awards. Henry’s loveable, humorous characters will grasp the attention of all young readers. Holding suspense right to the end, this story of friendship, adventure, teamwork, and trust is truly a magnificent tale. Working to enhance this engaging story is the expressive and colorful illustrations from Marjorie Van Heerden. Just like Willy Nilly and Thumper, these three make a great team, producing educational yet fun stories for young readers.

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