Woodchuck OntOnt and His Friends

About the Book

Synopsis of Woodchuck OntOnt FairHolly WyattHiser McGallion and His Friends by Aunt Grace OntOnt dreams of faraway places and his already marvelous life close to nature, good friends and family. The first in a series of stories, Woodchuck OntOnt FairHolly WyattHiser McGallion and His Friends begins the adventures of this close-knit mountain community. OntOnt, a very perspicacious groundhog, has wanderlust and knows he is blessed by his relationship with a Great Universal Spirit that guides him and watches over them all. OntOnt’s family consists of his two younger sisters – Dibbie-Do and Yummie – his little, fat-stomach brother Milton Baby, and their religious grandmother, Kimmama. They live on a large mountaintop farm on White Oak Creek in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Kimmama loves to cook hearty meals for her extended family and their frequent, extraordinary guests. Born on Groundhog’s Day circa 1928, OntOnt is around twelve as the story begins. His keen knowledge of life causes him to ponder many mysteries and to play tricks on others to help teach life’s secrets. Milton Baby suspects that OntOnt’s Great Spirit, and Preacher Aaron’s religious talks, are all a bunch of foolishness cooked up to control his life, and he argues about it almost as frequently as he cries. Dibbie-Do loves flowers and decorating. She is also a bit stingy. Yummie, a little runt who constantly sucks her thumb, can usually spot whatever tricks folks are up to. Her intuitive knowing delights and surprises them all. In the numerous escapades of Woodchuck OntOnt’s family and friends, the characters illuminate wonderful lessons for children of all ages. A few of OntOnt’s friends are: DC Fox, who is often lazy but oh so smart; Decatur the Skunk, who lives with his mother and loves blueberries way too much; Old Dr. Tom, who cures various ailments with the threat of his gosh-awful black medicine; Cousin Raymond, who makes hillbilly music on his ole banjo and quietly settles arguments; Preacher Aaron, a skinny circuit parson, who comes around on Old Mule with his big black Bible to preach to any who will listen. Grandma Kimmama’s sister, now The Duchess, ran away to Arabia and married a prince. After his death she returned with her son that everyone calls Uncle Mystic, and they live in a purple and white mansion. Milton Baby thinks they put on airs because most everyone else lives so poorly. OntOnt believes that he and his friends are the luckiest folks alive. Part of OntOnt’s good humor comes from the tricks he loves to play and the assurance from his guardian angel, Mabel, that he has great personality and is destined for greatness. He calls Timber Lilly his girlfriend, even though she denies it and calls all the boys crows. Timber Lilly lives with her father, Crip, a gentle-hearted, one-legged moonshiner who walks on crutches and wisely counsels everyone. This first tale explores OntOnt’s convictions that he lives on the Island of Paradise, with a Great Universal Spirit guiding everything. With help from his guardian angel and close-knit family, everyone prospers and manages to create a wonderful Christmas in spite of having so little money. Soon, the season will change and OntOnt’s dreams of faraway places, of sharing the Great Mystery with the whole world, will continue coming true.

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