At first Nicky isn’t excited about spending the summer with his grandma in the Wisconsin woods, but he changes his mind after discovering an old raft in the water near her cottage. He soon realizes that his grandparent is marvelously unconventional in unexpected ways. Being a solitary, independent spirit and artist, Grandma allows Nicky to ease into what he will enjoy in his own way and time. When he learns to pole the raft, Nicky notices faded images of birds and animals on its surface. He begins to discover the wildlife moving nearby in the water and along the shore by day and also by night. His grandma provides art materials so the boy can sketch what he observes. LaMarche’s exquisite paintings for this singular story evoke a quiet, secluded Wisconsin river during summertime and encourage more than one type of observation. (Ages 5‑9)

A flock of birds was moving toward me along the river, hovering over something floating on the water. It drifteddownstream, closer and closer, until finally it bumped up against the dock. Though it was covered with leaves and branches, now I could tell that it was a raft. I reached down and pushed some of the leaves aside. Beneath them was a drawing of a rabbit. It looked like those ancient cave paintings I'd seen in books--just outlines, but wild and fast and free.

Nicky isn't one bit happy about spending the summer with his grandma in the Wisconsin woods, but them the raft appears and changes everything. As Nicky explores, the raft works a subtle magic, opening up the wonders all around him--the animals of river and woods, his grandmother's humor and wisdom, and his own special talent as an artist.

"Best Books 2000 (School Library Journal)" and Children's Books 2000-NY Public Lib.