Customer Reviews

Over the River and Through the Wood

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, let me address an issue; a problem if you will, as to this book and the reviews here. Somehow, between Amazon and Publishers Weekly there has been a grave error made. If you read the product description from PW you will find that they have reviewed the wrong book. Their review is of a book with a similar title,Over The River and Through the Woods [..] which was written by Lydia Marie Child and illustrated by David Catrow. You will note that some of the customer's reviews, in particular the three star reviews, have all been directed toward the Child book. This is not the fault of the reviewers because the various links Amazon has provided bounce the customer back and forth between the two books; the Catrow book and the one being reviewed here written by Lydia Maria Child and illustrated by Brinton Turkle. Amazon has mixed these two books up...I do not know how they did it as the ISBN numbers are different, but did it they did. While I have not read it, the Catrow book, (1999) is an urban spoof, as I understand it, on the original song and quite a different animal that what we are dealing with in the Child book. Whether or not it is a good book or not...I haven't a clue as I have never laid eyes on it.

Anyway, the work being reviewed here is by Maria Child and was published by Scholastic Inc. in 1974.
It consists of some wonderful illustrations by Brinton Turkle depicting an old fashion Thanksgiving dinner at what is probably just before the turn of the last century. There are no cars...it is all horse and buggy; wood stoves, horse drawn sleds, long skirts and home cooked food. Some of these illustrations are in black and white (which is very effective) and others in color. All are skillfully executed.

The text of this work consists of the words to the old song..,"Over the River, an Through the Woods." It is designed so that the reader can sing along with the illustrations which fit perfectly.

This is an ideal work to be used during the Thanksgiving Season and most certainly could be used during Christmas also.

This is an excellent work and I hope that people are not put off by the mix-up here.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

My three-year old lovrd this. Nice pictures of an old-fashioned Thanksgiving, but he particularly liked the idea of a ook you could sing along to.

David Catrow is one of my favorite illustrators, and he definately puts a new spin on a classic Thanksgiving Day rhyme in this book. . .I especially love the cat!

I LOVE the song and really wanted to love this book but the illustrations really don't work for me. When I think Thanksgiving I don't think of sledding, ice fishing, and ice yachting all of which are depicted here.

Christopher Manson's illustrations are perfect for this Holiday favorite! A great board book to give and share with little ones on Thanksgiving Day!

I just bought this book for my 2nd grade music classes because I've been using a copy from the library for the last 3 years, and my students all LOVE this book. The pictures have a story unto themselves: a family is driving by the Macy's parade as they leave town for their grandparents' house, the baby crawls out the window during a traffic jam, gets tossed about through the parade, rides some balloons, and ends up safely delivered to Grandmother's house just in time for the family to arrive and eat a traditional dinner together... except the baby steals the pumpkin pie. Kids just shriek with laughter when they aren't busy singing, and (most important to their music teacher) they remember the song later because they had such fun learning it. They beg to read this book again and again, but I only do it at Thanksgiving, so it's a big treat. ;-) Many thanks to the illustrator.

The illustrations in the book alternate between color (the kids and their family traveling) and black and white (the grandparents preparing for their arrival). It is a perfect way to share the song with a young person.

My 3 year-old son pointed out that the kids are not wearing seatbelts. Catrow draws the seatbelts, he just doesn't put them on the children. The baby is buckled in the carseat, but on the very next page is somehow climbing out the window. That upset my son, because he knows the importance of always staying buckled in. This may be nitpicking to some people, but it really concerned us. Other than that, the story is cute and well illustrated.

If you liked 'The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly', you should read 'The Old lady Who Swallowed a Pie'. The lady eats so much food that she turns into a balloon at the Thanksgiving parade! She even eats a pan! The illustrations are hillarious. We couldn't stop laughing. Read it with your class and family at Thanksgiving.