Walk on the Wild Side, by Nicholas Oldland

When a bear and a moose and a beaver decide to climb a mountain, interesting things might happen. . . .  These three adventure-loving friends thought it looked like a nice day for a hike, and a distant mountain beckoned.  Nicholas Oldland tells the story of their adventure, through valley, field, river, and canyon, in Walk on the Wild Side.

Beaver proposed a race to the top, to make things more interesting.  Moose was in the lead, but tumbled over the side of the mountain.  Bear tried to save him, but he got in trouble, too.  Beaver came looking for them and saved the day.  They decided they had enough excited and took a more leisurely pace the rest of the hike.

I enjoyed Oldland's simple illustrations.  He conveys a love of nature and the joy of running in the mountains.  More than that, he celebrates friendship and looking out for each other.  Kids will like the story, and although there is some peril, I don't think it's scary enough to be a concern.  I would look forward to reading more adventures of the bear, the beaver, and the moose.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!