Chisel Hedgehog Book 1 Search for the Past Read online

  One foot at a time, she tiptoed across the street while keeping her eyes on the woods in case a monster jumped out of the bushes. Finally, at the bush, she slowly and silently bent over while keeping her head up and looking at the bushes. Then, quickly, all in one motion, she shot her arm down to where she had seen the sparkle, grabbed all the dirt where the thing had been, and ran back toward the other side of the street. She kept running far enough into Pootan’s Forest until she could no longer hear the moaning, and then sat down on a log to rest.

  She sat panting, trying to catch her breath, and looked at her clenched fist. She looked around, scared that maybe one of the moaning monsters had followed her, and then turned her hand over and slightly opened her fingers so that the dirt slowly fell away through them. A shape started to show, then more and more of it as the dirt disappeared . . . it was a silver ring. She slowly turned the ring around and studied several small engravings: a sundial (clock), a rainbow, the initials MTB, 10M, three coins, four unicorns, two houses, and two books. On the inside was inscribed the words, “The Hidden Valley,” and a date from 110 years ago. “This is the oldest thing I’ve ever seen!”

  She put it on her finger and wrote a clue in the black book that Chisel had given her:

  A silver ring with several small engravings dated 110 years ago. What do the engravings mean?

  * * *

  Back in the sailboat, Chisel said good night to the moon and snuggled up in his blanket. He had escaped from the Mean Minks but now hoped he could make it to Volcano Island and not get lost at sea forever. “I feel there are clues that await me there . . . but there are also wild, savage monkeys!”

  What Chisel didn’t know, was that on Volcano Island there was also a swamp monster, trees that grew feathers, an erupting volcano, more diamonds than he could ever use, a secret he would discover that was the biggest in the world, and that he might have to stay on the island for the rest of his life . . . and much more. . . .

  Chisel’s whole summer will turn out to be one perilous adventure after another, in places like the jungles of Volcano Island, The Haunted Woods, Look Around Mountain, and The Cave of the Tooth.

  Chisel will have to develop plans of escape including disguises #1, 2, and 3, use his flying skateboard hot-air-trash-bag-balloon-plane, and create the worst stink bomb recipe in the world to subdue his pursuers. He must overcome his own fear, and despair, always looking on the bright side of life by singing his songs of optimism. Then when all seems lost he must decide whether to follow mysterious images that appear to him.

  Each day follow Chisel on the Master Map, listen to the songs he sings, and enjoy the pure “hootbalootin” fun, adventure, and optimism. Then journey with Chisel as he builds the world’s largest tree house (to shoot tomatoes at the Flying Squirrels with his giant sling shot), discover with him how to make gum with amazing flavors like buttered popcorn and pepperoni pizza, and see if he can find the treasure of Pootan’s Forest.

  Then envision Chisel saying, “Hope is free, and hope is mine, today I grab it and will not let go! And if anyone has lost it, come see me. I have plenty you can borrow.”

  You’ll find all this and more in Chisel Hedgehog’s tragic, but amazing, Crazy Great Summer!

  [TRACK 15]:

  Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine, laughing, playing all of the time, living in the country is a wonderful life, plenty to do from the morning to night.

  Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine, laughing, playing all of the time, the meadows are green, and the sky is blue, flowers of red, yellow, and a purple hue, Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine.

  Chisel Hedgehog’s always buying time, always thinking how to get out of a bind, funny all the things that happen to him, always treading water, or out on a limb.

  Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine, laughing, playing all of the time, look in the sky and he’s on a balloon, floating past you yelling, “Hey, what should I do?” Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine.

  Chisel Hedgehog made it home again, to his home by the town of Shady Glen, every day a new adventure begins, to Chisel Hedgehog and his friends.

  Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine, laughing, playing all of the time, the next time you’re out in the woods, look around, you might see Chisel, and might find his little town, Chisel Hedgehog is a friend of mine.

  ###

  Deleted Scenes

  In Book 1 Francine originally met Chisel after he forgot his backpack in the Hidden Clearing and Francine found it with Chisel’s journal inside.

  In Book 3 Chisel thought that chewing on rocks was a great way to resist junk food between meals, so he offered Pooder a rock to chew on. I deleted the scene but divided the illustration into two parts and used them in other places. The picture of Chisel went into Book 7 when he offered Moonager a geode.

  Originally, the second time Francine met Chisel, she didn’t see him until he dropped a pine cone on her head.

  In Book 5, when Chisel originally went to the People’s city, all the neighborhood kids accidentally saw him. In the final version of the book, they did not see him. I colored the whole scene, but only used Chisel and Francine sitting on the couch.

  Credits

  Written by Perry Crompton

  Illustrated by Baruch Inbar, colored by Perry Crompton

  All songs produced by Perry Crompton and Andreas Geck*

  Music, lyrics, and choral arrangements by Perry Crompton

  Musical arrangements, instruments, and recording by Andreas Geck at San Andreas Recording Studios, Burbank California *

  * “Thinking of the Memories” musical arrangements, instruments, and recording by Billie Stevens along with all final music editing, mixing, & mastering at Dinky Music Recording Studios, Corona California

  Text audio recording, and music integration by Perry Crompton at Mini-P Recording Studios, Redondo Beach California

  Accoustic guitar by Wilfried Geck

  Vocals by: Duncan Ballard, Keleny Crompton, Ashley Ybarra, Lara Walters, Emily Ballard, Aaron Gates, Megan Papavero, Megan Barber, Kelsie Miller, Cory Crompton, Derrik Peterson, Cody Branham, Justin Behzad, Josh Behzad, Jessica Boyer, Alisa Neilan, Tara Noland, Nathan Fritz, Jason Loomis, Perry Crompton, Andreas Geck, Wilfried Geck.

  Editing help by Cynthia Cole, Rob Boyer, Keleny Crompton

  CD Art by Jessica Boyer

  Bear and Owl reference by Keleny Crompton

  “Good Friend, Good bye” inspired by Frank Muir

  CD Music Tracks

  *Bold: In this Book

  Track 1 Intro

  Track 2 Dear Diary (words)

  *Track 3 I Don’t Sing Good

  *Track 4 Here I Go

  *Track 5 Maybe It’d Be Better

  Track 6 All My Little Fears

  Track 7 One Step at a Time

  Track 8 Listen to the Breeze (words)

  Track 9 Never Have I Seen

  Track 10 I’m Okay

  Track 11 Home is Where

  Track 12 Walk, Run

  Track 13 Oh What a Summer

  Track 14 Jefferson Would be Proud

  *Track 15 Chisel Hedgehog Theme

  Track 16 Monkey, Monkey, Monkey

  Track 17 Listen to the Breeze

  Track 18 Built a Boat

  Track 19 Into the Sun

  Track 20 Yaay Bootle

  CD Music Tracks

  Track 21 Incredible Igloo Nights

  Track 22 Chased By a Bear

  Track 23 If You Look

  Track 24 Big, Bad Minkey Brothers

  Track 25 Great, Great Summer

  Track 26 How Can’t You Smile

  Track 27 Cartwheel (words)

  Track 28 Apple Trees

  Track 29 Off To Ride the Rails

  Track 30 Try Once

  Track 31 Once Again in a Big, Bad Place

  Track 32 Beautiful World

  Track 33 Thinking of the Memories

  Track 34 Look at the Unicorn

  Track 35 I’
ve Made Mistakes

  Track 36 All Alone in a Cave

  Track 37 Luck’s Been With Me

  Track 38 Yes I knew I Could

  Track 39 This is to All the People

  Track 40 Good Friend, Good Bye

  Map

  Product Information

  Chisel's Crazy Great Summer continues in the following six ebooks: Volcano Island, The Treasure of Pootan's Forest, Amazing Flying Skateboard-Plane Expedition, The Golden Unicorn, The Haunted Woods, The End of Summer

  Coming soon: Enhanced ebooks/apps featuring written text and pictures, with audio text and integrated songs.

  Available at Chiselhedgehog.com is:

  1. The musical CD with the 40 tracks covering all seven books.

  2. An 8.5” X 11” color map of the Hidden Valley, and an 8.5” X 11” poster.

  3. The OPTIMISTICS mini-book with many of Chisel Hedgehog’s greatest positive mental attitude (PMA) quotes.

  4. Chisel Hedgehog Games, Including: Volcano Island “Board” Game, Trading Cards, Cut Out City, and more.

  5. Depending upon demand, paperback versions of the seven books.