Title: Will’s Adventure to the Candy Mountain
Author: Dr. Gerry Heller
Illustrated by: YM Cho
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-64361-882-1
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 60
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Dr. Gerry Heller has written a story which takes children on an imaginary journey to a magical place where the main ingredients are happiness, joy and sugar! With fanciful illustration by artist YM Cho, the tale of a young boy, Will, drifting off to sleep while being told a bedtime story about a place where candy, ice cream, cookies and soda are in such abundance, that it actually forms a mountain, along with a village, comes to dream-life in Will’s mind.
As Will falls asleep, he is taken away on an imaginary train in his dream; past the local surroundings, then up to the mountains. On board he meets another boy, Quinn, as they develop a friendship which allows to two boys to disembark and explore this fanciful land of lollypop trees, root beer lakes, all types of candy formations. Climbing to the top of the mountain Will and Quinn see snow, but when the get up close they realize its ice cream! Then stopping into a huge bakery, they each get some cookies to put into their basket. They have so many fun experiences up on Candy Mountain they almost lose track of time, and run downhill to catch the train to go home; otherwise risk being stuck on the mountain overnight. Jumping on board, Will falls asleep with the motion of the train, and awakes under his covers in his bed at home. Excited, he jumps out of bed to tell his mother about his dream – or was it a dream? After all, there’s a big bucket of candy next to him in bed.
With elements reminiscent of The Polar Express with the dreamy train ride, albeit having Candy Mountain’s Village in place of the North Pole; adding in a bit of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; then embellishing the classic folk tale of The Gingerbread Man; Will’s Adventure to the Candy Mountain adds its own unique sweetness to the mix of childhood bedtime stories. Dr. Gerry Heller has used the enthusiast character of seeing things through Will’s eyes to draw in the imaginations of the readers to live vicariously the adventure. The creative artwork compliments the story perfectly, resulting in a classic children’s book.
There is so much to enjoy in Will’s Adventure to the Candy Mountain that it will almost be necessary to brush your teeth after each time reading it, to get the sugar off!
