Lydia Maria Francis ChildReseñas

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Over the River and Through the Wood, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott.

Lydia Maria Child's classic New England Thanksgiving poem, which first appeared in 1844, is given a modern treatment by illustrator Nadine Bernard Westcott in this fun seasonal picture-book. As the rhyming text rollicks along, following a family as they journey to their grandparents' house for a Thanksgiving feast, the artwork alternates between depicting that family on the road and depicting Grandmother and Grandfather preparing for them. The setting is modern, so the family travels in a car, driving from city to country, but the textual references to horses and sleighs are not neglected, as they pass such equipages on their journey. Eventually they arrive, and the poem/song concludes with a big hurrah for the pumpkin pie. The musical notation for the song is included at the rear...

Over the River and Through the Wood: A Song for Thanksgiving, published in 1992, is the fourth picture-book presentation of this beloved seasonal poem/song that I have read, following upon the versions illustrated by Matt Tavares, Christopher Manson and Brinton Turkle. I found it enjoyable and engaging, although not the equal, aesthetically speaking, of those other three versions. I appreciated the fact that Westcott has "updated" the Thanksgiving journey described in the poem—her family are modern city dwellers, and drive a modern car—while still retaining the traditional elements in the song, such as horse-drawn sleighs. I also appreciated that the artwork alternated between the grandparents preparing for visitors, and the family journeying toward them. The text was rather abbreviated—in its full form this poem has twelve stanzas, but the version here uses only three—although it still makes for an engaging read-aloud. This wouldn't be the first picture-book presentation of this poem that I would recommend to readers—that would be either the Tavares or the Turkle versions, both of which contain the full twelve verses, and both of which feature artwork I prefer—but it is still a fun picture-book for the season.

Boundary pushing, for its time. I think I like her non-fiction stuff better.

ReREAD:
This is intriguing...

One of the first abolitionist books written-- and by a woman, at that. This book destroyed her blossoming literary career and she had to work hard to get it back, but, to my knowledge, never backed down from her statements here. My one desire is for an edition that provides a thorough bibliography in the back...

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Lydia Maria Francis Child (born Lydia Maria Francis) (February 11, 1802 – October 20, 1880), was an American abolitionist, women's rights activist, Native American rights activist, novelist, journalist, and opponent of American expansionism. Her journals, both fiction and domestic manuals, reached wide audiences from the 1820s through the 1850s. At times she shocked her audience as she tried to take on issues of both male dominance and white supremacy in some of her stories.

A family sets off for Grandfather's house for a holiday feast. Along the way they encounter crisp air and drifted snow as they travel over the river and through the wood. The dogs bark, and the bells ring. The journey seems slow as the children can't wait, but they arrive just in time for the Thanksgiving feast and pumpkin pie.

The Bottom Line: This beautifully illustrated edition features nostalgic watercolor, gouache, and pencil paintings. It contains the full-length version of the beloved poem and an interesting note about the author. Enthusiastically recommended for holiday reading.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog.

Summary
The book uses the classic rhyme and lovely illustrations to really bring the story to life. It has a good rhyme scheme that could be used to help get a child more invested into what they’re reading. With this the book tells the whole story of the way or journey to grandmother’s house for a thanksgiving dinner. Wrote by Lydia Child and Illustrated by Brinton Turkle.

Review
In my opinion the book Over the River and Through the Woods could be really good for recreational reading. Especially with the rhythm and fun illustrations. I think this is a book kids could love and parents and/ or teachers could enjoy reading to them. And with a little assistance beginner readers could attempt to read it.

Classroom Ideas:
1. Talk about the children’s favorite verses from the book.
2. Explain rhyme scheme to the children and have them figure out the books rhyme scheme.
3. The people in the book are on a trip to grandma’s house, let the kids talk bout a place they like to take trips to.

Chronologically confused prudish (Christian) romance about Philothea's pure love for young Plato, and her wayward friend's undoing under the influence of Pericles and Aspasia.

Read for the PB Club on GR. ?áConsensus among members so far is thumbs-down on the illustrations. ?áI said:


But still, I didn't enjoy?áit?áeither.?á "

Timeless classic for the best family-get-together holiday there is!

Gorgeous colored woodcuts set on winter landscapes illustrate this poem/song about a family’s trip to Grandparent’s house to celebrate Thanksgivings. This a celebratory poem of the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving, where American families gather for dinner to give thanks. It is also a celebration of winter, and illustrator made an emphasis on outdoors, landscapes covered in snow and winter activities. Only last illustration is indoor, when family arrives to grandparent's house to have the Thanksgiving dinner.

A classic holiday song, in a form of a picture book. The pictures show the grandparent 's joy in preparation for their family's arrival on Thanksgiving day.½

A humorously illustrated version of a beloved poem. I'm a big fan of [a:David Catrow|84062|David Catrow|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-4df4c878d4149c45fac159e88cb784ad.jpg] and his use of colors. Unfortunately, our library copy had been enforced in such a way that the pages did not open all the way, and often there was no way to see what was in the center of the picture spreads, diminishing our enjoyment of them somewhat.

David Catrow, the illustrator of my edition, starts the trip to Grandmother's house in modern-day New York where the family gets caught up in a big parade. There the adventure begins, especially for Baby. It is the riotous illustrations that grab me about the presentation of this traditional Thanksgiving song. I would read/sing this with Pre-K through Grade 3 children during the Thanksgiving or winter holiday season, spending lots of time discussing the funny things happening in the illustrations, then invite them to draw or paint what they would wish to happen on the way to their relatives' houses.

Over the River and Through the Wood, illustrated by Matt Tavares.

"Over the river, and through the wood, / To Grandfather's house we go; / The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh / through the white and drifted snow." And so begins this classic Thanksgiving poem, which first saw print in 1844, in Lydia Maria Child's three-volume anthology for young readers, Flowers for Children. It's a well-known and well-loved poem and song, although I've recently discovered (to my surprise) that some people think it is a Christmas poem. Apparently, it is not so uncommon to substitute "Christmas Day" for "Thanksgiving Day," in the reciting/singing! In any case, as well known as Child's poem may be, what is less well known is that there are two versions of it: the original twelve-verse version, published in 1844, and the abridged six-verse version, included in John Greenleaf Whittier's 1871 Child Life: A Collection of Poems. It is this latter version which seems to be the better known, making the publication of this lovely picture-book presentation of the full twelve-verse original, earlier this year, very welcome indeed!

With one verse per two-page spread, and gorgeous watercolor, gouache and pencil illustrations, this edition from Candlewick Press has immense textual and artistic appeal. I'd never actually read the complete poem before, and was thrilled to see "new" verses, like: "Over the river, and through the wood- / Old Jowler hears our bells; / He shakes his paw with a loud bow-wow, / and thus the news he tells." The artwork by Matt Tavares is lovely, with a painterly quality that is very different from the woodcut illustrations done by Christopher Manson for Over the River and Through the Wood: A Thanksgiving Poem (which I have also read and enjoyed). I loved the sense of light in these pictures, and the warmth of the indoor scenes, after the long cold sleigh ride! This is just a wonderful presentation of this classic holiday poem - available in its entirety for young readers! - and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good picture-book version, or for the original text.

Note: The edition illustrated by Brinton Turkle, Over the River and Through the Wood, also contains the full text.

Over the River and Through the Wood, illustrated by Brinton Turkle.

First published in 1974, this picture-book edition of Lydia Maria Child's classic Thanksgiving poem is illustrated by Brinton Turkle, and contains the original, twelve-verse version from 1844, rather than the six-verse version (which first appeared in 1871) that seems to be better known these days. Alternating between two-page color paintings, that depict the young narrator (a New England boy) and his family on their sleigh-ride to grandfather's house for Thanksgiving dinner, and black and white single-page illustrations - with text on the facing page - which show the preparations going forward in anticipation of their arrival, the book has a distinctively vintage sensibility and charm, and is immensely appealing. The two-page vistas open up entire worlds to the reader, and are simply lovely. I'm so glad that I gave this third presentation of the poem a chance - I have already read both the Christopher Manson version, Over the River and Through the Wood: A Thanksgiving Poem, and the newer Matt Tavares edition, Over the River and Through the Wood: The New England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day this season - when I spotted it at the public library this past weekend, as it really is a beauty! Recommended to anyone looking for a picture-book with the full original text of Over the River and Through the Wood, or who appreciates picture-book illustrations with a cozy, old-fashioned feeling to them.

Note: the Matt Tavares version also contains the full twelve-verse version of the poem, whereas the Christopher Manson edition contains the six-verse version from 1871.

Over the River and Through the Wood, illustrated by Christopher Manson.

Lydia Maria Child's now-famous Thanksgiving poem, Over the River and Through the Wood, which follows an excited young New England boy and his family, as they make their way to the home of the boy's grandparents for their Thanksgiving celebration, first saw print in 1844, as part of the second volume of her three-book anthology for young readers, Flowers for Children. It originally contained twelve verses, but was shortened to six when collected in John Greenleaf Whittier's 1871 Child Life: A Collection of Poems, and it is this version - the abridged one - that seems to be best known today. It is, as the brief foreword mentions, the version presented here, in this edition illustrated by Christopher Manson.

Offering a lovely, traditional interpretation of the poem, this picture-book presents a few lines per page, and pairs the well-known text with beautiful woodcut illustrations, filled in with watercolor. The result is a work with a distinctive folk-art sensibility - I love woodcuts, and Manson's are immensely appealing! - that feels very appropriate for its wintry New England setting. The decorative endpapers, with their "basket of plenty" motif, are a nice touch, as is the inclusion, at the rear of the book, of the musical score for the singing of the poem/song. Recommended to anyone looking for a beautifully-illustrated presentation of this poem, as it has been recited and sung for the last one hundred years or so. For those looking for the complete original text (from 1844), I recommend either the new picture-book edition, just published this year (2011), with artwork by Matt Tavares: Over the River and Through the Wood: The New England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day, or the vintage picture-book presentation from 1974, with illustrations by Brinton Turkle: Over the River and Through the Wood.

Matt Tavares creates a lovely wintry New England Thanksgiving, old-fashioned in a Currier & Ives kind of way.

Poetry Upper Elementary

Over the River and Through the Wood is about a young family on the way to their Thanksgiving feast. I like this book because it is done in rhyme and is easily memorizable for children. There is also a tune that you can sing the book to. I would love to use this book in a young classroom as a supplement to a Thanksgiving project. I would recommend this book to children in K-3rd grade.

The classic Thanksgiving poem that is well known throughout the country. It would be good to use around the holidays and make into a fun project.