On a hot summer's day, Alex and Grandpa take their canoe out on the river for a long, lazy day of wading, enjoying a river picnic, watching the fish, and searching for a magnificent bald eagle.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Sorensen's ( What Does the Rain Play? ) breathtaking paintings outshine newcomer Mason's text in this slow-moving story. Alex and her grandfather spend a day canoeing, with Alex fervently hoping to "see that eagle this time." Unfortunately, the slight suspense generated by Alex's desire is not enough to sustain the static plot. At each turn of the page, Alex and her grandfather notice something new--the shallow water that looks "like brown sea glass," the seaweed they call "witches' hair"--but the quiet pace of the book too often prompts the reader to respond, as Alex does when she sees the trout, with a polite "Hmmmm." A reliance on cliches further mars the prose. Grampa "grinned from ear to ear," a rock is "flat as a pancake," Alex's heart "skipped a beat" and, when she is disappointed about not seeing the eagle, "all at once, her bottom lip began to tremble." Far more suggestive are Sorensen's paintings. With their varied studies of the shoreline and of light glittering on the surface of the river, they confer grace and intelligence on an otherwise merely serviceable entry. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-A comfortable, quiet book that chronicles a grandfather and granddaughter's day on the river. The special tone is set early on when readers learn that this will be an exclusive trip. Alex's younger brother, Eli, despite vigorous begging, is not allowed to come this time. However, he, as well as an elusive eagle, are a constant undercurrent of the expedition. Alex, the navigator and co-paddler, anxiously searches not only for hazards but also for a glimpse of the white-headed bird. She is finally rewarded and suggests that next time Eli can come, too. Slow-moving at first, this picture book and its value grow in subtle ways-the simple, evocative language; homey themes; and an illustrator's sure hand. The double-page acrylic paintings are rich in color, and in several one can almost feel the water's wetness, the eagle's shadow, and the hand-lettered name on the canoe. Similar to William and Lindsay George's Fishing at Long Pond (Greenwillow, 1991), but more affectionate, this is a warm glimpse of a shared experience.
Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet.
|
|||
|
Video reviews
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
