The Four Travellers

A leaf with a boat-shaped curl gives Cato, a young lion, an idea: collect four leaf boats and sail them across Round Pool. With Etta the elephant, Suri the snake and Tavi the parrot beside him, Cato sets off beneath the ferns. Each new leaf brings the little fleet closer to ready—until the path narrows beneath a tangle of roots. Can Cato get his precious boats through without tearing his finest leaf?

At Round Pool, the boats are waiting, but the water is missing. A faint plink leads the friends to a spring clogged with wet leaves, and Cato’s paws cannot get a grip. The water is trapped, the pool is dry, and the leaf he loves most may be the only thing that can help. Cato will have to look at his boat in a new way—and decide whether he is willing to risk it.

With woodland details, gentle peril and a resourceful young hero, this picture-book adventure is made for sharing with preschoolers. Follow Cato and his companions as they search, squeeze through and listen for the sound of water.