Of John Bartram's nine children, it is William who best loves nature and wants to follow in his father's footsteps. William dreams of accompanying his father as he explores the wilderness of colonial America as botanist to the King of England in search of plant specimens. Using journals, maps, and her own vibrant paintings, Deborah Kogan Ray tells the captivating story of Billy's first trip to the Catskill Mountains and his further adventures as an adult, including a long, perilous journey into the remote wilderness.