Abstract:
Old Newt, a large man who lives in a cabin in the woods, likes to tell stories to his visitors. One such story is the story of Willy Woodchuck, who wants to do something that woodchucks don’t instinctively do: climb trees. Discouraged by his mother and most of the woods’ creatures that he meets during his odyssey, Willy nonetheless is determined to accomplish his dream for he wishes to see the New World that Squirrel sees every time he scampers up a tree.

Only Little Ladybug offers affirmation: “Mister Woodchuck is determined to climb a tree and there is nothing wrong with having determination.” The others, including his mother, think that he is “foolhardy.” Ultimately, with the help of the firemen’s ladder, Willy is able to climb his “perfect tree” and see the New World. But reaching this goal is not what the didactic story is really about, for Bill Reynolds has written a refreshingly simple and charming story about the value of friendship and the importance of community.

In addition to increasing their vocabulary, children reading the story will learn, as did Willy, that “sometimes you need help doing what you want to do” and “…before you can have friends, you must be a friend” and finally, “A friend is a good thing to be.” Delightful illustrations by Gaynor Reynolds Aarabi enhance the optimistic story. Willy Woodchuck is a fun story for parents to read to their young children and for older children (7-9) to read themselves.