Author: LaMarche, Jim
Brand: Harpercollins
Edition: 1st
Binding: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 40
Release Date: 05-04-2000
model number: FBA-|291119
Part Number: FBA-|291119
Details: Product Description Inspired in part by his own childhood, this gorgeous picture book from Jim LaMarche, the beloved illustrator of A Story for Bear and The Elves and the Shoemaker, tells the story of one stubborn boy’s unexpectedly wonderful summer on the river. This is an imagination-sparking story about appreciating the simple, natural joys of the world and the people in it, and about discovering and exploring one’s own talents. School Library Journal proclaimed, “This dazzling picture book is an artistic triumph.” The author’s note describes the similarities between his own life and the life of his protagonist. Nicky is convinced that his summer with his grandmother in the Wisconsin woods is going to be the worst summer ever. She cooks food that he doesn’t like, there’s an art studio where her living room should be, and he’s expected to do chores—including fishing, the most boring chore ever. But one afternoon, while Nicky is trying to catch their dinner, a raft drifts down the river towards him. The raft has a calming magic about it, affecting both Nicky and the wildlife of the river and woods. Through the raft and the adventures it brings him on, Nicky finds new common ground with his grandmother, a fellow river rat, who encourages him to explore his newfound talent for art. Amazon.com Review Imagine passing a summer drifting up and down a slow-moving river, watching as cranes, turtles, raccoons, otters, and ducks grow accustomed to your presence. Envision days spent poling the raft through lily pads and grasses, glimpsing foxes through the trees on shore. On hot, sticky nights, picture a tent set up on the raft, from which you have an unobstructed view of huge bucks drinking from the moonlit river. Nicky has no idea what he's getting into when his father drops him off for the summer at his grandmother's cottage in the woods. And he's not especially pleased at the prospect. "There's nobody to play with ... She doesn't even have a TV." But this "river rat" is not the normal kind of grandma. Without pushing, she quietly allows Nicky to discover for himself the wonders of river life. Gradually, Nicky's interest in drawing the wildlife he sees brings him closer to his artist grandmother, and to an inner peace that looks as though it will last for a lifetime. Jim LaMarche draws on his own childhood summer experiences for this lovely, serene story. As the light and weather change through the summer, the river reflects all the beauty of the season. LaMarche has illustrated many remarkable and award-winning picture books, including the magical Little Oh and The Rainbabies. (Ages 4 to 9) --Emilie Coulter From Publishers Weekly LaMarche (The Rainbabies) filters an evocative tale of a summertime idyll in the Wisconsin woods through a series of exquisitely rendered pastel drawings. Equally adept at portraiture, landscapes and closely observed nature studies, he uses light adroitly; here he bathes his images in the bewitching glow of a riverfront dawn and dusk. Sent to spend the summer with his grandmother, an artist and self-proclaimed "river rat" living in a remote cottage, young Nicky believes he's in for a tedious vacation. However, his days quickly fill up with quiet adventures when he discovers a raft covered with drawings of wild animals. His grandmother teaches him how to navigate the river, then sets him free to explore; he soon begins sketching all the animals he sees, from birds and turtles to foxes, raccoons, otters and the like. LaMarche neatly sidesteps sentimentality as he spins his story, subtly and realistically chronicling the growing bond between grandmother and grandson. It's the artwork, however, that is the star of this show. From details such as the graceful curve of a bird's wing or the soft, quick outline of a raccoon's furry coat to mood-setting landscapes of a line of birches just visible through an early-morning mist or the masterful blending of lavenders and grays with a tou
EAN: 9780688139773
Package Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.6 x 0.6 inches
Languages: English