The Raft

When he must spend the summer with his grandmother - an artist who is a self-described "river rat" - Nikki is sure that he will have nothing to do. But he soon finds that life in the country is anything but boring, and when he discovers a raft on the nearby river, decorated with beautiful pictures of the local animals, a wonderful time of discovery begins. Alone, or in the company of Grandma, Nikki explores the river - poling upriver, drifting down, observing and interacting with the wildlife, swimming, and discovering a new talent for drawing. By the end of the summer, Nikki has something to add to the raft...

This wonderful story really resonated with me, reminding me of summer vacations up at the lake, at my grandparents' summer home show more in Michigan. The cool of the woods, the beauty of the water, the peaceful quiet of the summer days and nights, the loving fellowship with Gran and Granddad - it all came rushing back! Jim Lamarche spins a magical tale of discovery and growth, of the love between grandparent and grandchild, and of the beauty of nature. His illustrations are simply gorgeous, their use of light and color creating truly enchanting vistas. I'm so very glad my friend Kathryn recommended this one, as it is truly delightful, and I might otherwise have missed it! Highly recommended to all young artists and nature-lovers! show less

The first thing you'll notice about The Raft is the absolutely captivating illustrations. The stunning pastels will make you feel as though you too are floating down the placid river.

In this story, a boy begrudgingly spends his summer with his free-spirited grandmother who lives in a cottage by the river. Like any young boy, he fears what a summer without close pals and technology will entail. Low and behold, Nicky discovers a raft one day, and all the magical things that a river and its animals possess.

I adore the illustrations and how much fun Nicky creates for himself out in the nature. Students will get a message to get out in the world and seek adventures from out behind a television screen. There is a whole world out there to show more explore when you turn off the noise, use your imagination, and get a little dirty.

This book reminds me of my childhood growing up across from the woods and all the fun we used to have building forts and discovering nature. Every child should get to experience a childhood like this. show less

I liked a number of things about The Raft. An often overlooked point is that Nicky’s dad was a working and most likely single parent. Spending the summer with his grandmother was not about his father wanting him to have the experience, it was a necessity. Next, I feel as though this book showed what many of us know: being miserable is a choice. At the beginning of the book Nicky does not want to enjoy his time at his grandmother’s river house and purposefully chooses not to do tasks as she instructs him. When things don’t work out he calls fault to his grandmother and the situation, not his own actions. When Nicky sees that he is somewhere special that has so much to offer him if he will look for it, he experiences growth not only show more as a person, but in his relationship with his grandmother. While I feel that this book had some nice points to it, overall this did not feel like a book I would reach for with my students for a few reasons: the pacing was slow and made it hard to stay engaged, the story felt like it had been done before, and the character growth seemed really abrupt. show less

Partially inspired by the author's own childhood experiences, this is a beautiful book about a little boy name Nicky who is sent to spend the summer with his eccentric grandma in the country. What he thinks is going to be the worst summer ever, completely changes one day when he finds an abandoned raft on the river. The illustrations in this book are soft and dreamy and pull in the reader. This would be a great mentor text for character development as the little boy changes throughout the story.

"The Raft" by Jim LaMarche is a story of a boy who is forced to spent the summer with his Grandmother. He is unhappy but soon learns that with nature and imagination there's a lot he can do. I loved to see Nicky connect with nature and his grandmother through the author's dialogue. Additionally, with the use of inner dialogue we see a growing love for nature and understanding as the boy adventures down the river on his raft.

Reading Level: 2-4

This is a lovely book. The coupling of a fine story and exquisite illustrations make this a book to buy for a children's illustrated book collection. There aren't enough words to describe the magic and beauty contained in this wonderful book!

Based on the author/illustrators childhood, the young boy is at an age when boredom feels overwhelmingly something to be avoided at all costs. When his father is busy with work, he asks his mother to watch the boy. Remembering fond memories of his childhood, the father hopes that his son will indeed have a magical summer.

Living in the woods, with nothing but a grandmother and some critters, the boy dreads the long summer. When he discovers a raft, he is no longer looking for things to fill the time. show more All types of animals, including many birds, turtles and playful otters are drawn to the raft. The boy notices paintings on the raft and studies the animal images.

Navigating through the water is a fine way to see creatures on the shore, such as a mamma dear and her fawn and a fox family.

When the boy rescues the fawn stuck in mud, he feels in touch with nature. Wisely the grandmother suspects that her grandson, like her, has artistic talents. Soon, he is sketching the animals and birds he notices.

Sleeping on the raft on a summer's eve is a magical experience. Summer goes by quickly, and there are lessons of talents to develop and love of a special grandmother, and finding a place with nature.

It is no wonder that I was drawn to this book. The illustrator wove his magic in other children's illustrated books I've read, some of them my favorite such as The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen and the Carpenter's Gift show less

I really liked this picture book, it is a relatable interesting story full of adventure. In the beginning of the story Nicky was devastated, his grand Mom "doesn't even have a tv!" And hes about to be spending the summer at her house. Nicky finds out their are cooler things than TV when a raft floats up to him on the river. Young Nicky learns the ways of the river, start reading to find out how