Nicky, who looks about 8 or 9, thinks he will be bored and lonely when he must spend the summer alone with his grandmother in her rustic cottage in the woods. He gradually changes his mind, though, when she introduces him to rafting on the river and appreciating the wildlife that seems mysteriously attracted to the raft.
In her rolled-up jeans and artist’s smock, with her white hair tucked into a straw hat, the grandmother is a free spirit, completely comfortable with herself. She carves a large, wooden bear head and pins her many sketches, and Nicky’s, on the walls. Obviously agile and comfortable on a raft or inner tube, she’s a self-described “river rat.” Her intimacy with nature extends to human nature; she’s wise enough to let things (and grandsons) bloom in their own time.
Lush illustrations make this book a real charmer, especially for kids interested in animals or drawing.
