This book is a compilation of 10 stories, written by Don Bennett, of Freeport, Illinois. He started writing them in 1967, and the last story is dated 1978. When his daughters, Lisa and Laurie, were small, Don used to tell them bedtime stories whenever they would visit him. His stories were not ordinary, though. They were about forest animals and a certain groundhog, affectionately called "Grampa Groundhog," who loved to clear his throat and, mostly, loved a good nap. Grampa Groundhog was the wise, old man to whom the residents of Lily Pond went for help with any problem. He had an answer for everything. Nothing was too hard for him, and the solutions usually involved utilizing the unique talents of each animal. Lily Pond was an imaginary place of great, natural beauty, close to the real Pecatonica River, which meanders through the countryside near Scioto Mills, five miles west of Freeport, in northern Illinois. "Lily Ponders," as Don called them, included a wide variety of the animals that inhabited such a setting: beavers, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, mice, geese, and all manner of very clever birds. Though they weren't people, in these stories the "Ponders" seemed like people, since Don endowed them with very human and lovable characteristics. He knew and understood all these birds and animals intimately, since, as a boy, he had spent so much time in this environment hunting, fishing, and observing. In a small and humorous way, these stories feature themes such as common sense, using your own ingenuity, being kind, and helping your neighbor. As such, they portray values and scenes that remain pure and timeless. Don Bennett left this world in 2001. These stories have been compiled and published by his daughter, Ladine Bennett Housholder, in memory of, and as a legacy to, her father., ISBN13: 9780985523169 ISBN10: 0985523166 Material Type: hardcover

Bennett, Don