“The Uncanny Adventures of Dill, Will and Toucan Bill” tells the story of three winsome characters who travel around the globe and even up to the cosmos to discover the marvels of the world. Dill is a pretty, perky squirrel who regularly consults her world geography book to locate exotic destinations. Her neighbor in Central Park, in New York City, is Will, who is the Will of Shakespeare. He enjoys travel and the opportunity it provides to find material for new plays. On a trip to Brazil, Dill and Will meet Toucan Bill, a happy boisterous healing bird, who returns with them to live in Central Park. There, he moves into a 5th Avenue building occupied by eight Red-Tailed Hawks.

Dill, Will and Toucan Bill make their journeys with the beautiful diaphanous cloud called Carla. She expertly navigates around all kinds of earthly landscapes and even flies our touring trio to the Big Dipper. The equally adventure-loving Red-Tails accompany Carla and Dill, Will and Toucan Bill wherever they go. Dill always travels with her world geography book and a large hamper of sandwiches that she shares with everyone the travelers meet.

The story is fun and fanciful and full of odd surprises as when they meet the Leprechauns who live in the Big Dipper. Or when they enjoy the hospitality of two giant rabbits on the steppes of Kazakhstan and later visit the Tomb of Tamerlane in Samarkand. That the characters themselves are an odd bunch stretches the imagination in a delightful way. The story invites the reader to enjoy travel and, like its intrepid characters, to embrace seeing new places, meeting new people, eating different foods and experiencing new cultures.

The story stirs the imagination of young and old alike. It recognizes that travel opens the mind and heart to unmatchable experiences. It celebrates diversity and is a reminder that travel is best when grounded in respect and trust of others.