Adventure series (Willard Price) facts for kids

The Adventure series is a collection of exciting children's books written by Willard Price. The first 14 books came out between 1949 and 1980. They tell the stories of two teenage brothers, Hal and Roger Hunt, as they travel the world. Their goal is to find and collect amazing and sometimes dangerous animals. Starting in 2012, Anthony McGowan wrote four more books in the series. These new stories feature Hal and Roger's children.

Why the Books Were Written

Willard Price, the author, once shared why he wrote the Adventure series. He wanted to make reading fun and exciting for young people. He hoped his books would encourage them to read more. He also wanted to spark an interest in wild animals and how they behave. Price believed he helped open up the worlds of books and nature to many young readers around the globe.

Meet the Characters

Hal and Roger Hunt are the main characters in the original series. They are the sons of a famous animal collector, John Hunt. The brothers take a year off from school to help their father. They travel to different places to catch animals for his collection in Long Island, New York. These animals are then sold to zoos, circuses, and nature parks. In their first book, Amazon Adventure, Hal is 18 years old and Roger is 13.

Hal is often seen as the hero. He is tall, strong, and knows a lot about animals. He is also kind and trusting. Roger is different; he loves to play jokes and can be a bit mischievous. But he is also very clever and tough, just like his older brother.

The Bad Guys

Each book in the Adventure series has interesting villains or enemies. Sometimes, these bad guys learn from their mistakes and change for the better. Other times, they face the results of their actions. Only one villain, a clever character called "Reverend" Merlin Kaggs, appears in more than one book.

New Adventures Begin

In 2006, the family of Willard Price sold the rights to his Adventure series. A company in London bought the rights to the 14 books and the use of Price's name.

Later, in 2011, it was announced that a British author named Anthony McGowan would write new books. He was hired by Puffin Books to continue the classic wildlife adventure series. The first new book, Leopard Adventure, came out in 2012. It introduces Hal's son, Fraser, and Roger's daughter, Amazon. They meet for the first time and go on an adventure to save the rare Amur leopard. In these new stories, Hal and Roger, who were very close as teenagers, have grown apart.

McGowan, who loved the original books as a child, explained a bit about the new story. Hal Hunt has started an organization that saves animal species around the world. His son, Fraser, works with him. But Hal has had a disagreement with Roger, who is now a freelance conservationist. There's some friendly competition between the brothers. Hal works a bit with big businesses, while Roger is more of a free spirit. The story starts with Roger and his wife disappearing, which leads Fraser to meet his cousin Amazon.

The Books

Willard Price's Books

Anthony McGowan's Books