Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort

Celebrate the wonderful (and hilarious) ways in which friends can be different in this laugh-out-loud odd-couple story.

Best friends Jasper, a quick and feisty fox, and Ollie, a slow and deliberate sloth, decide to build forts in the yard. While Jasper's enormous fort goes up in minutes (complete with a rock climbing wall, bouncy, castle, and moat), it's Ollie's humble fort that has what the pair need most . . . a place that they can share.

This highly visual story allows young readers to easily recognize the differences between the two pals, as Jasper's increasingly frenzied building contrasts with Ollie's more reserved and planned approach. It's a smartly paced, hugely funny celebration of our differences. Kids AND grown-ups will giggle as they decide if they're more of a "Jasper" or an "Ollie." Which one are you?

Parents will also appreciate the subtle lesson of mindfulness, told with humor, as impatient Jasper comes to understand that being first and fastest isn't always best.

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Jasper & Ollie2022 Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award Winner

"This is a rollicking story of two endearing friends pitted against each other in a comical non-competition, and readers, having recognized all along that this was never really a contest, will chuckle over Jasper's raucous antics. . . . Friends build a fort and an even stronger relationship." —Kirkus

"The fable of “The Tortoise and the Hare” gets a lively new spin in Willan's second Jasper & Ollie adventure. . . . The odd-couple friendship and the cozy conclusion will leave readers feeling just right." —BooklistALEX WILLAN is the author and illustrator of Jasper & Ollie and Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort. Alex grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was seldom seen without his sketchbook in hand. His love of drawing led him to earn a BFA in illustration from Savannah College of Art and Design. Alex has exhibited in art galleries and has painted murals, theater sets, and squirmy kids' faces, but his true love has always been children's books. He lives in Chicago with his dog, Harley. See more of his work at alexwillan.com, and follow him on Instagram at @alexwillan.