Champ and Me by the Maple Tree

Author Ed Shankman and illustrator Dave O'Neill have created winning books on Boston, Cape Cod, and Maine. Now they turn their attention to Vermont and one of that state's great legends: Champ, the "Monster" of Lake Champlain (a sort of Loch Ness Monster for the Green Mountain State). Champ is seen through the eyes of a likable tomboy, who sets out from her favorite spot by a maple tree and finds herself by the lakeshore. She meets Champ, who turns out to be a very kid-friendly monster, inviting the girl to sit on his head and ride with him through the Vermont countryside. Together, these unlikely friends dash past farms and mills and over covered bridges, meet some cows, eat some maple syrup-covered cheese, and eventually return to the girl's favorite maple tree. The charming story ends as it began: "If you come to Vermont / Near a lake called Champlain, / And you cut through the woods / On an old country lane, There's a chance you will see / My friend Champ and me / Playing happy and free / By the old maple tree."