The Raft (Paperback)

~ Jim Lamarche (Author, Illustrator) "THERE'S NOBODY TO PLAY WITH, I complained..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

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 --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Nicky's summer vacation in the Wisconsin woods fills up with quiet adventures when he discovers a raft covered with drawings of wild animals. PW's starred review praised the "exquisitely rendered" pastel drawings that "bathe the images in the bewitching glow of a riverfront dawn and dusk." Ages 6-up. (June)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064438562
• ISBN-13: 978-0064438568
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,831 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Rafting
  #4 in	Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Water Sports > Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was hurled back to the summers of my youth, September 9, 2001

By	Susan Stern "Susan Stern" (Port Jefferson, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Raft (Hardcover)

As a young girl, I loved summers in upstate NY with my grandmother. This book - from the first illustration to the end - hurled me backward in time. I loved it. I used it as part of a group of river-related books in my Reading program for 3,4 and 5th graders. I loved reading it aloud to the students time and time again and they loved listening to it. Some of them chose to read it again by themselves. We put together a wonder mural of river life after reading this and all the other river-related books. It was a wonderful read for us all. My students were amazed at how the little boy could have any fun without a TV. The theme of enjoying nature was evident from the get-go and the illustrations gently reinforced the message.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great book to inspire an adventure., June 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Raft (Hardcover)

My 5 year old son loved this book. We enjoyed reading it together. It allowed him to feel like he was on an adventure. He related to the boy in the book. Even though it takes place in Wisconsin, it applies to anywhere a boy can use his imagination. We both looked forward to seeing what was going to happen next. This book has become his favorite.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Raft Revelation, November 14, 2002

A Kid's Review

The Raft is a book that captures the heart of the reader with its great illustrations and vivid details of na-ture. It is a story of a boy who travels to his grandmother's house for the summer but really does not want to go. Her house is by a river where Nicky discovers a raft and a love of nature. He soon realizes the raft attracts animals, encountering many he hadn't seen in real life. Animals that would normally be frightened by a human seem calmed by the raft
During the summer he falls in love with drawing nature like his grandmother, who is also an artist. It is a story about a series of events that probably wouldn't happen, but the reader might wish they could.
The colorful illustrations by the author are some of the most delight-ful I have seen. He makes objects look exactly the way the reader might envision them.
The author had a cabin by a river near Lake Superior, and in his childhood memories he did not actually find a raft like this, but he did dream of it.
This book would appeal to chil-dren between the ages 6 and 8, or younger as a read-aloud. It is a great story for older children, teens, and adults as well.
If you like books about nature and animals this is your book.