Walk on the Wild Side Read online

  To Jasper, Freddie and Maggie

  ISBN 978-1-77138-429-2 (PDF)

  Text and illustrations © 2015 Nicholas Oldland All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of Kids Can Press Ltd. or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free to 1-800-893-5777.

  Kids Can Press acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Ontario, through the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s Ontario Book Initiative; the Ontario Arts Council; the Canada Council for the Arts; and the Government of Canada, through the CBF, for our publishing activity.

  Published in Canada by

  Published in the U.S. by

  Kids Can Press Ltd.

  Kids Can Press Ltd.

  25 Dockside Drive

  2250 Military Road

  Toronto, ON M5A 0B5

  Tonawanda, NY 14150

  www.kidscanpress.com

  The artwork in this book was rendered in Photoshop.

  Edited by Yvette Ghione

  Series design by Marie Bartholomew

  Designed by Julia Naimska

  LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION

  Oldland, Nicholas, 1972–, author, illustrator Walk on the wild side / Nicholas Oldland.

  (Life in the wild)

  ISBN 978-1-77138-109-3 (bound)

  I. Title. II. Series.

  PS8629.L46W35 2014 jC813’.6 C2013-908163-1

  There once was a bear, a moose and a beaver who loved adventure. But sometimes their competitive natures got in the way of having fun.

  One sunny morning, the bear, the moose and the beaver decided it was a great day to climb a mountain.

  To get to the mountain, they

  descended into a valley …

  Walked through a

  grassy field …

  Waded through a stream …

  And crossed a deep canyon.

  At the foot of the mountain, they stopped for a snack. Between mouthfuls, the bear, the moose and the beaver discussed ways to make their hike more interesting.

  The beaver thought the best way to add some excitement was to make it a race.

  As soon as they finished their last bites, the three friends were off and running. The race was on!

  Thanks to his long legs, the moose took an early lead. But the beaver and the

  bear followed right on his tail.

  Then just as the moose rounded

  a bend in the mountain path, a

  boulder came tumbling down

  toward him.

  Fortunately, the moose jumped

  out of harm’s way just in time.

  Unfortunately, he had jumped

  over the side of the mountain.

  When the beaver rounded

  the bend, the moose was

  out of sight. Worried that

  he had fallen behind, the

  beaver picked up his pace.

  When the bear came

  running by, he heard the

  moose’s cry for help. The

  bear followed the sound

  to the mountain’s edge,

  where he saw the moose

  dangling from a tree

  branch.

  Fearlessly, the

  bear attempted

  a daring rescue.

  Sadly, he failed.

  Thanks to the moose’s quick

  reflexes, the bear’s life was saved.

  But now they were both

  hanging on for their lives.

  The moose and the bear’s

  cries for help echoed up

  the mountain. The beaver

  followed their calls back

  down the path.

  The beaver’s

  instincts kicked in.

  He chewed down

  a tree …

  Carved out a

  few notches …

  And lowered the simple ladder

  to the moose and the bear so

  they could climb up.

  Back on solid ground, the three friends realized their hike had become a little too exciting. If they were going to make it to the top of the mountain, a slower pace might be better.

  And that’s when

  their hike became

  truly interesting.

  They explored

  a dark cave ...

  Discovered

  a prehistoric

  fossil ...

  And helped one another

  along the way.

  At the end of the day, the bear, the moose and the beaver agreed that reaching the top of the mountain was great, but enjoying the journey together was even better.

  Nicholas Oldland enjoyed success as a

  commercial artist before taking up the role of creative director at Hatley, a popular apparel company he runs with his brothers. Walk on the Wild Side is the latest adventure for Nicholas’s characters the bear, the moose and the beaver.

  www.kidscanpress.com

  Document Outline

  Front Cover

  Copyright Page

  Title Page

  Walk on the Wild Side

  About the Author

  Back Cover

  ebooks in this series

 

 

  Nicholas Oldland, Walk on the Wild Side

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