Category: Children Publisher: Five Oaks Press
ISBN-10: 0977932524
Type: Fiction
Pages: 32
Copyright: Oct 4, 2007
ISBN-13: 9780977932528
32 pages with 16 beautiful watercolor illustrations by Carole Lang.
Chucky and Chewy are two adventurous North American chipmunks who are also best buddies. While exploring their neighborhood after the Big Flood of '96, they discover a box of toys washed-up on the shore. Among the toys they find in the box are a pair of battery-powered motorcycles and Ken and Barbie Biker dolls. After donning Ken and Barbie's helmets and leather jackets, they set off on an unforgettable motorcycle adventure.
Chucky and Chewy's Wild Ride chronicles the adventures and misadventures of two intrepid chipmunks who find a box of toys washed up on the banks of Lake Lure after the Big Flood of 1996. Among the toys that Chucky and Chewy find in the box are a pair of battery-powered classic motorcycles. Our heros set off on a motorcycle road-trip through Hickory Nut Gorge including a stop at Margarita Grille, a now defunct but fondly remembered Lake Lure biker hot spot. The trip continues with a bike and foot trek to Chimney Rock and the top of Hickory Nut Falls. When Chewy looses his footing on the slippery rocks and slips over the edge of the 400 foot waterfall, his friend Chucky is highly distraught. Chewy's exciting trip over the falls and eventual journey by water back to his comfortable burrow on the shores of Lake Lure is sure to keep children spell-bound.
Excerpt
Cyrus wasn’t the only one who had to seek higher ground during the flood. Chucky and his friend Chewy were also rudely awakened by rising water that night as it began to seep into their adjoining burrows under the big oak tree on the bank of Lake Lure at the very back of the third cove on the west side of the north arm. Chucky and Chewy are both North American Brown-Striped Golden chipmunks, and have been best friends their entire lives. They dug their burrows together under the same large tree in order to be close to each other and able to summon the other by simply thumping their tail on the adjoining wall between their two burrows.
This night they both awakened with a start at the same time as rising water began to enter their homes and soak their fur. They each rapped twice on the burrow wall and then scrambled out of their bedrooms, through their sitting rooms, and up the sloping front hallway to their front doors where they looked at each other’s wet coats and said together at the same time, “we better get to higher ground.” And with that, they ran up the steep bank away from the lakeshore and found a rock overhang to crouch under while they waited out the storm.
By morning, the rain had let up and the water stopped rising so rapidly. The water had completely flooded their homes and had risen half-way up the bank to where they were huddled miserably under the rock. Chipmunks don’t especially enjoy being wet and cold. Chucky said morosely to Chewy, “Our homes and all of our things are ruined from the water. What are we going to do?”
“Well there’s not much we can do now,” answered Chewy. “I think we should dig ourselves some temporary new homes up here so we can get warm and wait for the water to go back down. Then maybe we can move back to our old homes.” And that’s what they did. They dug fairly shallow burrows next to each other under the protection of the overhanging rock shelf. Then they set out to find some food. They gathered acorns from an oak tree and seed pods from a maple tree. Maple seed pods are called keys. They look like tiny airplane propellers, and they are one of a chipmunk’s favorite foods.
Chucky and Chewy enjoyed their meal and were able to stay fairly warm and comfortable in their new digs. Several days passed like this, and the flood waters slowly receded, and eventually uncovered the front doors of their old homes. They walked down to their old burrows and surveyed the damage. “Oh my,” exclaimed Chewy, “Things are a mess.”
“Yes they are,” agreed Chucky, “My favorite chair is ruined and my sideboard and armoire look like total losses. There is still water standing in some places. I think we need to wait awhile longer and let things dry out a little more.”
Rasputin, the most feared wolf in the forest, bent on revenge for old insults. But then one night his life is turned around and a new future presents itself... will the old wolf choose to accept it?
