The Monster Stick & Other Appalachian Tall Tales

What’s the Monster Stick? It’s Paul’s gigantic fishing pole—nine feet long and packed with miles of super‑strong fishing line and shiny, custom‑made sinkers that slide like magic. From the moment Paul gets the Monster Stick, his adventures grow wilder than anything Paul Bunyan ever dreamed up. At one point, he even manages to hook a DC‑10 airplane flown by sneaky smugglers. How he does that… well, that’s part of the fun!

Then there’s Buck‑dog, Bil’s one‑of‑a‑kind hunting hound. His mom was a German shepherd, and his dad was a very determined (and very busy) basset hound. Buck is smarter than most people and stronger than four train engines pulling together. He proves it again and again as he takes on every challenge that comes his way—even the government.