Seymore's Best Summer Ever?

By Lisa Hutcheson

Can Seymore handle it all? Or will his worst fears come true? Will it really be the BEST SUMMER EVER or a dud?

Ten-year-old Seymore Owens begins his summer between fifth and sixth grade with one goal: Blood Mountain. His dad climbed to the top of it when he was Seymore's age, but now, his parents don't think he's ready to take

• Language: English
• Publisher: Henry Lyon Books
• Release date: Oct 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781947482623

Lisa Hutcheson

Lisa Hutcheson enjoys creating award-winning stories for children of all ages that combine her faith, imagination, and a dash of real life. She hopes you enjoy her adventures, big and small!

Book preview

Chapter 1

The first battle of summer

Will and Brandon raced ahead. The twin brothers looked like mirror images of each other, bounding like the young bucks they were hoping to spot in the woods today. Their long legs propelled them through the dense pine forest and underbrush with ease.

C’mon, Seymore! Don’t be such a slow poke! Will’s taunt flew straight into Seymore’s heart like an arrow hitting the bullseye.

Seymore’s ten-and-three-quarters-year-old legs were running as fast as they could to catch up. His brothers were taller and skinnier than he was. It’s useless. He stopped to catch his breath. You go on. I’ll catch up. I know the way.

His twelve-year-old brothers slowed for a moment. Then with a half-hearted shrug of disgust, they turned and started to sprint through their favorite woods again.

Later, loser, the twins shouted in unison.

Jinx, Will called it on Brandon as they sprinted neck and neck farther into the distance.

The echo of their hurtful jab rang in Seymore’s ears. Another arrow had found its mark. Seymore wouldn’t be eleven for another six weeks, but he had already figured out a few things—brothers were always family, but they weren’t always friends. He prayed that would change one day, but that would take a BIG miracle with Will for a brother.

School had let out for the summer the week before, and today was Day One of their vacation. The three fair-haired Owens brothers were headed into Framington Woods for a day of adventure.

Dad said that Framington Woods Preserve used to be a forest that once stretched from Florida to Virginia. The Owens’ home, near Tallahassee, butted up against the southeast corner of the preserve. Having the run of the forest was paradise. The forest rangers only patrolled near their house on the third Thursday of the month. So, for the other twenty-nine days or so each month, the brothers were free to roam in their domain.

Seymore finally caught up to his brothers by the river. The rushing sound of the water was muffled by the thick layer of pine straw that covered the forest floor. Towering Loblolly pines formed a canopy overhead, and a few Magnolia trees grew where there were patches of sunlight.

So, here’s the plan, Will said. He was the oldest twin by sixty-seven seconds. Why does he always have to be the one in charge? For once, Seymore thought, I’d like to make the plan. Maybe one day I’ll come up with the most fantastic plan ever! But not today. He sighed to himself and turned his attention back to his brother.

We’re going to play Knights and Pirate. Whoever pushes the pirate off the rock into the water and gets to the other side first wins.

Seymore didn’t like this one. He always got soaked and usually caught a cold as a result. Mom gets so mad when we play Knights and Pirate. Let’s play fort instead, Seymore pleaded.

We are PLAYING Knights and Pirate! Will and Brandon shouted in unison. Seymore slumped a little but took his place on Pirate Rock. Pirate Rock was an enormous, smooth rock. It looked like a whale’s head breaking through the surface of the fast-moving waters in the middle of the river. He positioned himself to defend against the imminent onslaught.

Ahoy! Are those two brave knights I see coming to my island? Seymore put his hand to his forehead and squinted, delivering his line in a monotone voice that sounded more like a dead pirate than a dread pirate.

Yes, you feared pirate of the high seas! It is I, Sir Will.

And I, Sir Brandon of Framington, Brandon added as he leaped up on a rock onshore and waved a long saber-like stick he’d found. He was the brother with the flair for the dramatic.

Charge! Will hollered. The two brothers rushed into the river. Their steps were high as they sloshed wildly through the clear, knee-deep waters. Brandon reached Pirate Rock first.

Last summer and all the summers before that, Seymore had been knocked off with the first push. But this summer was going to be different!

Humpf! Seymore grunted as he resisted the attack of his older but skinnier brother. Splash! Brandon bounced off and landed flat on his back in the water, flailing in surprise before wading toward shore. Seymore looked over in amazement and grinned but quickly turned his gaze back to the battlefield.

Will was the oldest, but Seymore still outweighed him by a few pounds. Will came in low as if planning to throw his brother off-balance. Freckle-faced Seymore quickly squatted like a Sumo wrestler he had seen on television. He planted his feet firmly on the rock. An epic battle began—back and forth, both boys teetered toward the water. Finally, in one big push, Will threw Seymore into the river.

Victory! Sir Will declared. A hard-fought battle against a worthy opponent. He reached down to help Seymore back up onto the rock. Brandon had long since waded to shore. Pirate Seymore – you might get to be a knight soon. Well done. Seymore beamed at his brother’s words.

Being a bit bigger than his brothers might have its advantages after all. And it might be handy on Blood Mountain! If only Seymore could get his parents to change their minds and agree to let him do the solo climb at the end of the summer. Then it would be the best summer ever for sure.

Chapter 2

Deeper into their woods

After the first battle of the summer at Pirate Rock, the three Owens brothers headed deeper into their woods.

Let’s see if we can find some deer tracks or a fox, Brandon said.

Might be able to see some deer tracks, but not a fox. Will knew his stuff when it came to animals. He wanted to be a ranger when he grew up. Fox tracks are scarce this time of year. Spring and fall are better for that, Dad says.

Seymore loved animals, but he was still learning about their ways, and Dad was a great teacher. Their father, William Brandon Owens, after whom the twins were named, was a fourth-generation dairy farmer. When Seymore and his brothers got up at five in the morning to do their morning farm chores, they would have great talks with Dad.

The Bible says, ‘a righteous man cares for his animals.’ What do you think that means? Dad asked his boys one morning.

Seymore guessed, It’s good to take care of your animals?

That’s right! Dad said.

Seymore beamed from ear to ear. He loved his talks with Dad.

And why do you think God says that?

Seymore thought for a few minutes about it, but this was a more challenging question. I don’t know. Why?

Dad was always so patient, taking his time to explain things clearly. At the beginning of life on our planet, God created all the animals. Then, God made Adam and Eve, our first parents, and gave them the job of caring for the land and all the animals. So, when we are taking care of the cows and chickens, and even the animals in the woods, we are doing what God commanded from the start.

Always remember to thank God for the animals that feed us. And treat them the way God instructs, with kindness. When we follow God’s ways, it keeps everybody and every animal healthy. Always remember that. Keep God’s instructions and follow His ways.

Dad is a wise man, Seymore thought. As he and his brothers trekked farther into the woods, Seymore found himself daydreaming of the countless walks in the woods with his dad.

Dad’s respect and knowledge of animals extends to all God’s creatures. There was so much to learn about the animals and their habits. And so many animals! Framington Woods was home to foxes, rabbits, deer, cardinals, turtles, fish, and many other creatures. Seymore felt as if they were the guardians of Framington Woods, or at least their little section of it.

The boys hiked for an hour, crisscrossing the river a couple of times, walking in silence beneath the majestic pines. As they walked, Seymore and his brothers pretended they were like the Seminole or Creek tribes who lived in these woods a few hundred years ago. While the twins always tanned like dad’s leather wallet, Seymore’s freckled, fair skin turned bright red like a strawberry. None of that mattered, though, as the three warriors moved silently through the woods on the hunt for food for the winter, reading the signs the deer, or a bear, had left behind.

Then, the boys switched and imagined they were a pack of saber-toothed tigers, like the ones that used to roam in Framington Woods long ago. As the boys crouched and inched along without making a sound, they searched for tracks or a sighting of a doe or buck. Suddenly, as they came out into a clearing, they spotted a family of deer grazing on the other side of the field, near the forest edge.

Shh! Will commanded. The boys crouched down. They didn’t want their sudden appearance to startle the deer. There’s three doe, two fawns, and a six-pointer, Will whispered.

I see another fawn over there! Seymore jumped up excitedly, forgetting to whisper.

SHH! Will barked in a hushed tone.

Sorry, Seymore cringed and crouched down a little further under the harshness of his older brother.

The boys sat in silence, perfectly still, watching the interactions of the deer family. The buck, with six pointy tips on his antlers, looked up briefly when Seymore spoke, but it didn’t spook him. The deer soon went back to grazing, but Seymore couldn’t relax. He never seemed to do anything right when it came to Will. Would there ever be a time when Will would respect him?

After about half an hour, the deer family moved into the shadows of the woods for a mid-day rest. Goats and cows do that too, Seymore thought. And Seymore was ready to move too. Noontime to Seymore meant something different, though—it meant lunch. His stomach rumbled.

Let’s head home, Seymore suggested.

Yeah, Mom will be looking for us. Race ya! Last one there has to take out the trash tonight, Will hollered back over his shoulder as he broke into a run.

Uhhh, Seymore grunted as he lumbered