Dawn [Hardcover]

Uri Shulevitz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1987

Camped for the night by a lake, a boy and his grandfather experience dawn from their row boat.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A boy and his grandfather go rowing just as dawn breaks over the mountains in this quietly stunning, poetic book. A Michael di Capua Book. All ages.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

"Drawn from a Chinese poem, the spare text tells of an old man and his grandson asleep by the shore of a mountain lake. With the approach of daylight, the watercolor illustrations slowly become more focused and detailed...Serene, simple, and stunning, this is Shulevitz at his best."--Starred, School Library Journal

"Shulevitz, winner of the Caldecott Medal, has created a book which, in every sense of the word, abounds in beauty...A unique, unforgettable experience for both children and adults."--The Reading Teacher

"Beginning with the first hint of dawn, each subtle change of atmosphere and color is recorded in a series of stunning and poetic illustrations. A boy and his grandfather awaken and row out in their boat just as the dawn breaks dramatically over the mountain-- with such realism of color and light that the reader almost feels his pupils narrow as the light increases. An artistic tour de force of accuracy and sensitivity."--Parents Magazine

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux (J); 1st edition (December 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374317070
• ISBN-13: 978-0374317072
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,683,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a book in which nothing - and everything happens., March 13, 1999

By 

([e-mail]) (Brainerd, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dawn (Paperback)

I had the opportunity to spend two weeks with Mr. Shulevitz some years ago at a writers workshop in upstate New York. In this peaceful setting I first read his book "Dawn". I mention the location because it perfectly mirrored the setting of the book, which takes place on a small lake, much like Pine Lake, the site of our workshop. In the time I spent with Mr. Schulevitz, I came to appreciate the profound simplicity he brings to his work. This concept of "less is more" is nowhere more apparent than in this book. He has managed to present the routine, a sunrise, as a wonderous event. This is an excellent book to share with a young child; the illustrations and sparse text build throughout the story to a satisfying and meaningful conclusion. Although the details he has recorded are simple, they create a powerful sense of time and place, easily drawing a child into the story. It will likely raise questions; who are the boy and the old man? Where are they going? Of course, in the end, none of this really matters. The power of the sunrise trancends all that preceeds it. Ultimately, this book, like much of Uri Schulevitz's work, is very "zen-like" in that it invites the reader to experience the miracle of the ordinary. I would encourage anyone to purchase and enjoy this book. It offers a child - or an adult for that matter - an oasis of calm in a frantic world.

5.0 out of 5 stars Serene, May 1, 2011

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Dawn (Paperback)

This book captures the beauty of serenity. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful illustrations. It will feel as if you were watching the sunrise.