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Children's Fiction Camping & Outdoor Activities

Me and You and the Red Canoe

by (author) Jean E. Pendziwol

illustrated by Phil

Publisher
Groundwood Books Ltd
Initial publish date
Aug 2017
Category
Camping & Outdoor Activities, Poetry (see also Stories in Verse), General
Recommended Age
5 to 18
Recommended Grade
k to 12
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781554988471
    Publish Date
    Aug 2017
    List Price
    $18.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781554988488
    Publish Date
    Aug 2017
    List Price
    $16.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

“A true gem that invites contemplation and reflection in children, who are often too busy to notice the beauty of everyday life.” — School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

In the stillness of a summer dawn, two siblings leave their campsite with fishing rods, tackle and bait, and push a red canoe into the lake. A perfect morning on the water unfolds, with thrilling glimpses of wildlife along the way.

The narrator describes the experience vividly. Trailing a lure through the blue-green depths, the siblings paddle around a point, spotting a moose in the shallows, a beaver swimming towards its home and an eagle returning to its nest. Suddenly there is a sharp tug and the rod bends to meet the water. A few heart-stopping moments later, the pair pull a silvery trout from the water, then paddle back to the campsite to fry up a delicious breakfast.

The poetic text is accompanied by stunningly beautiful paintings rendered on wood panels that give a nostalgic feeling to the story.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

About the authors

Jean E. Pendziwol has published several highly acclaimed picture books, including Once Upon a Northern Night, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. She is also the author of Marja’s Skis, illustrated by Jirina Marton, and The Red Sash and Dawn Watch, illustrated by Nicolas Debon. Jean’s debut adult novel, The Lightkeeper’s Daughters, will be published in 2017 in more than ten languages. Jean finds inspiration in the rich history, culture and geography of Northwestern Ontario where she lives in the shadow of the Nor’Wester Mountains near Lake Superior.

Jean E. Pendziwol's profile page

PHIL studied painting, printmaking, photography and design at the Alberta College of Art and the Ontario College of Art and Design. His paintings evoke memories as well as images and feelings from the past. This is his first picture book. He lives in Toronto.

 

Phil's profile page

Awards

  • Commended, Kirkus Best Picture Books

Editorial Reviews

The calm, distempered pictures and cool prose of Me and You and the Red Canoe seem to distill the essence of lakeside summertime.

Wall Street Journal

Free-verse poetry full of sensory details, evocative language, and repetition pair with scratchy illustrations in the greens, browns, and blues of the natural world to capture a morning of fishing from a red canoe. … Evocative, lyrical, perfect.

Kirkus Reviews

A true gem that invites contemplation and reflection in children, who are often too busy to notice the beauty of everyday life.

School Library Journal

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