Henry Hops the Highest

S T O R Y A N D I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y C H R I S T O P H E R E VA N S

published by

C H R I S T O P H E R E VA N S

©2006, 2012

S T O RY A N D ILLUSTRATIONS B Y C H R I S T O P H E R E VA N S

this book is dedicated to my nephew, Michael Evans

Henry Hopper was walking in the woods one day when he met his neighbor Walter Waddle.

“Hello Walter. What are you doing today?”

“I’m swimming.” answered Walter.

“I love to swim. I can swim very far!”

“I wish I could swim like you.” said Henry.

“It’s easy! You should try it!”

So Henry dove into the lake.

Waer Wae

But he didn’t float at all like Walter.

Henry couldn’t swim.

Moy Moe

Henry continued his walk through the woods and soon he saw Molly Mole who had just popped up from under the ground.

“Hello Molly.” said Henry.

“What are you doing today?”

“Digging, digging, digging...” replied Molly. “I love to dig!

I can dig very deep.”

“I wish I could dig like you.” said Henry.

“Oh its easy.” exclaimed Molly.

“You should try it!”

So Henry got down on his knees and started scratching at the ground.

By the time Henry had dug a very small hole, Molly had already dug a tunnel and was far away.

No, Henry couldn’t dig.

Roger Roin

Henry walked a little further and came upon another neighbor; Roger Robin.

“Hello Roger” said Henry. “What are you doing today?”

“I’m flying!” answered Roger.

“I love to fly. I can fly for a long time!”

“I wish I could fly like you.” said Henry.

“Its easy. You should try it.”

So Henry jumped up in the air and flapped his arms as hard as he could... but he fell right back down again.

“Oops.” said Roger.

“I guess you can’t fly, Henry.”

After walking a little further through the woods, Henry saw Nelly Nutsalot far up on a tree trunk.

“Hello Henry" she called down to him.

“Hello Nelly.” said Henry.

“What are you doing?”

“I'm climbing!” answered Nelly.

“Oh how I love to climb! I can climb very fast!”

“I wish I could climb trees like you do!” exclaimed Henry “Its easy! Come on up.” said Nelly.

Ne Nutsao

So Henry walked over to the bottom of the big oak tree and tried to scamper up it like Nelly did. He didn’t get very high before he slid right back down to the bottom.

“Gee, you really can’t climb Henry.” said Nelly.

Poor Henry, he couldn’t climb a tree.

Henry went back home to Hopper Hollow. His father found him looking very sad.

“Why so glum Henry?” asked Hank Hopper.

“I can’t do anything well.” replied Henry.

Wally Waddle can swim the farthest.

Molly Mole can dig the deepest.

Roger Robin can fly the longest and Nelly Nutsalot can climb the fastest.”

“Well, can you hop?” asked his father.

“Hop?” said Henry.

“Yes. Hop.” Henry got up on his feet, looked down at the ground, and tried to hop.

First he hopped high.

Then he hopped higher.

Then he hopped the highest!

“I can hop!” cried Henry.

“I may not be able to swim the farthest like Wally Waddle, or dig the deepest like Molly Mole, or fly the longest like Roger Robin or climb the fastest like Nelly Nutsalot...

But I can hop!” said Henry.

Henry hopped the highest.

Han Hoer Henrietta Hoer

Henr Hoer Hea Hoer This is Henry Hopper.

Here he is with his mother, Henrietta Hopper, his father, Hank Hopper Sr. and his baby sister, Hedda Hopper.

They all live together down at Hopper Hollow.

about the author

Christopher Evans is a graphic designer that lives and works in Paris. He has a nephew in Wolcott, Connecticut whom he loves very much. This, his first book, was created for his nephew on the occasion of his fourth Christmas.

CHRI S T O P H E R

E VA N S