Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Fall Reading 2019 Driftwood Days

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This circular story follows a branch as it drifts from the mountains downstream to the sea, then back again as a souvenir piece of driftwood. Along the way that same branch encounters the changing seasons: autumn leaves, a frozen boulder in a wintry river, green reeds in springtime, and then the summer warmth of the beach. Warm colored pencil and ink illustrations capture the trip through the year and the countryside. Readers will see wildlife such as chipmunks, turtles, and seagulls when the branch passes through each of their habitats.

While the outdoor scenes are inviting and full of pleasing details, it is the young boy who really captured my attention. At the start of the book he is busy watching a beaver build its lodge and enjoying nature. But when he finds the driftwood on the beach, his actions are reminiscent of Peter dragging a branch through the snow in the city. Perhaps this story will become another childhood favorite, just like The Snowy Day.

Perfect for a quiet read before bedtime, but also would fit well into a unit about rivers and waterways.

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