A young Indian boy carves a little canoe with a figure inside and names him Paddle-to-the-Sea. Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the ...
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Apr 14, 2009
Arthur
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Canadian Indian boy carves a small wooden canoe with a little figure in it, named Paddle-to-the-Sea. He places it on top of a snow-laden hill, and leaves. Soon the snow starts melting and Paddle starts on his voyage. He slides into a brook, leading to Lake Superior, and from there to the other Great Lakes.
This book is halfway between a regular picture book and an illustrated book. Each left-hand page is filled with text, a chapter, describing a stage of the voyage. These text pages a More...
This book is halfway between a regular picture book and an illustrated book. Each left-hand page is filled with text, a chapter, describing a stage of the voyage. These text pages a More...
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Feb 14, 2011
David
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Holling C. Holling’s 1941 book Paddle-to-the-Sea was the first grand adventure story I read as a child. Not that I read it in 1941. I’m not that old. I read it in the 70′s. Nevertheless, decades later, I’ve not forgotten it or the sense of wonder it instilled in me. I still love adventure stories today. They never get old.
The book follows the journey of Paddle, a 12-inch, handmade pine canoe complete with a wooden Native American pilot, as it travels from Lake Nipigon, Canada all the More...
The book follows the journey of Paddle, a 12-inch, handmade pine canoe complete with a wooden Native American pilot, as it travels from Lake Nipigon, Canada all the More...
Feb 21, 2010
Colleen
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We listened to this as a book-on-CD driving on Feb. vacation and all loved it. (Wikipedia: A 1941 children's book - At Lake Nipigon, Canada, a boy carves a wooden model of an Indian in a canoe and sets it free to travel the Great Lakes to the Atlantic ocean. The story follows the progress of the little wooden Indian on its journey through all five Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. People carve in the bottom of the boat where he has been and then they put him in the water again) As the thi
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Oct 04, 2011
GoldGato
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I found this book the day before Bay Books, an independent bookseller, closed its doors in Concord, California. Perhaps I should say that the book found me. Why would I buy a children's book? It must have been the local book dragon whispering in my ear, for I am grateful for this great find.
The author takes us on a trip that starts in the great northern wastes of Canada, and we follow the carved toy through the wilderness and down in to the Great Lakes of the States. Along the way, More...
The author takes us on a trip that starts in the great northern wastes of Canada, and we follow the carved toy through the wilderness and down in to the Great Lakes of the States. Along the way, More...
May 18, 2011
Michele
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I first encountered this book when my daughter's 2nd grade class did it as a read aloud and had to make little canoes like in the book. I remember my daughter talking about it a lot, and years later, have finally listened to the audiobook. It is a nicely old-fashioned story which follows the path of a tiny wooden canoe in the water systems of the Great Lakes. The natural and civilized aspects of the journey are described in great detail all along the way. The little boat and the character wi
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Oct 15, 2011
Abigail
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In twenty-seven brief "chapters" - each of which consists of a single page of text, decorated with black and white illustrations, and paired with a full-page color painting - Holling Clancy Holling sets out the story of "Paddle-to-the-Sea," a miniature wooden canoe carved by a young Indian boy in Nipigon country, Canada, and then sent out on a long journey toward the sea. As the canoe travels on its way, it journeys through all five of the Great Lakes, with detours and unexpe
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Dec 24, 2009
Jonathan
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This 27 chapter book was great! An Indian boy built a little canoe and detailed it. He set it on the top of the little hill because it was wintertime. In spring, the snow melted and paddle was on his journey. In 3 years, paddle-to-the-sea went through all the great lakes, across the St. Lawrence river and went to France! The newspaper came out with paddle's picture that said, "This little Paddle-to-the-sea came from Canada." The boy (which was now an adult) saw this and said, "I m
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Apr 20, 2011
Laura
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This was a terrific read aloud for our whole family. Everyone enjoyed it, from my 5 year old to my 12 year old. The illustrations were fantastic, and the story was so beautiful, it often felt poetic. It is deserving of the award it received. I appreciate the help it gave my kids in learning the geography of the Great Lakes region of the USA.
The story follows a little canoe carved by a Indian Boy. The boy sets it on the mountain from which springs the stream that will eventually fl More...
The story follows a little canoe carved by a Indian Boy. The boy sets it on the mountain from which springs the stream that will eventually fl More...
Apr 29, 2010
Linda
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An Indian boy makes a carving of an Indian in a canoe, names it Paddle-to-the-Sea, and sets it afloat in the Great Lakes, to make its way to the sea. Each chapter is on one page, with a full page color painting on the page opposite. If you look hard, you can find Paddle in almost every picture. When I was a child, I thought I could find him in every one, but looking at it years later, I was unable to do so. This is another of the books that had a big influence on me as a child.
Jul 12, 2010
Amanda
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A little too long/involved/detailed for my 4 yr old to listen to, but I read it myself because it is a great book. Each pair of pages is a new "chapter" with an accompanying illustration about a Native Canadian's handmade canoe with Paddle Man who sets out on a journey down the river to the Great Lakes and onto the sea. Informative as well and adventurous and entertaining. I saw this on a list as a good book for a boy and can totally agree. The boy just may need to be older than pr
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Feb 06, 2011
Jean
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This was a reread for me- which I love doing once in awhile. I bought it when my brother in Marquette MI carved boats for 20 girlscouts and set them adrift {he also builds wooden kayaks, canoes etc) in Lake Superior. Fabulous adventure and read that gets kids aways from their computers, screens and video games and back to what's really cool in the world. I'm going to do this here in FL- and maybe write a book Paddle-to-the-Ocean!
Jan 16, 2012
Lorna
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1942 Caldecott Honor
Favorite illustration: The large map showing Paddle's journey.
Favorite line: "You will go with the water and you will have adventures that I would like to have." --Chapter 2
Kid-appeal: An interesting story, but it is very long and does contained dated references to Indians as Injuns. I was surprised to hear my neighbor's 5th grade class recently used it in her Waldorf classroom. Could see multi-subject uses for the book with math, More...
Favorite illustration: The large map showing Paddle's journey.
Favorite line: "You will go with the water and you will have adventures that I would like to have." --Chapter 2
Kid-appeal: An interesting story, but it is very long and does contained dated references to Indians as Injuns. I was surprised to hear my neighbor's 5th grade class recently used it in her Waldorf classroom. Could see multi-subject uses for the book with math, More...
Oct 03, 2009
Merry
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Sep 17, 2009
Tim
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This is a wonderful children's tale of a wooden Indian in a canoe named "Paddle-to-the Sea". Carved by a young Indian boy, the lad intends for Paddle to have many adventures along his journey to the sea from a stream in Nipigon country through the Great Lakes. This is a must-read-to your-children-on-your-lap book.
Jan 06, 2009
Ardith
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My all-time favorite book from childhood. For years after reading it, I made plans for setting free little boats on various rivers. One idea was to attach a radio transmitter so I'd know one day my boat actually made it to the ocean. It hasn't happened yet...but I still dream...
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Nov 25, 2011
Marilyn
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An Indian boy in Western Canada carves a little Indian boy and a canoe for him. He sends him down the river with a note for others to help him on his journey to the sea. The story is about the people who find the carving, improve him, and send him on his way. A little slow.
Sep 09, 2009
Kay
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This book is on our curriculum list for homeschooling using AmblesideOnline.org for 1st grade. While the story is pretty good - we love all the references to the different animals he passes along the way - the narrator for this audio CD is pretty boring.
Mar 09, 2009
Deb
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Read this years ago and just bought it for Audge for her birthday. I wasn't sure she'd like it but she's completely entranced and even took it to school for sharing time. Any kid who lives near the Great Lakes should be reading this book...
Mar 13, 2011
Liam
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I absolutely adored this book when I was a little boy... Any child who grows up in Michigan, as I did (or in Ontario), will perhaps get a bit more enjoyment from the book- but I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good story...
Feb 27, 2010
Angelyn
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Anything by Holling Clancy Holling is excellent. They are half way between picture books and chapter books but are very educational. This one chronicles the journey of a carved wooden ship through the great lakes to the ocean.
Apr 10, 2009
Julie
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This book churned up many positive memories from long ago. I love how everyone puts Paddle back into the water (hurray for human kindness!). What I hadn't remembered and loved this time: the format, with a chapter-per-page, little sketches on one side and big lush colorful paintings on the other. It captivated all ages here.
Apr 24, 2009
Mindy
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I simply love this book. I love the concept of a young man carving a little canoe and vicariously living through its adventures. I think I remember reading this as a child as well. I only gave it four stars instead of five because my own children were indifferent, but I still think it's great. :) Will try again in a little while.
Apr 23, 2010
Rebecca
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Nicely illustrated with small maps on each page showing where Paddle-to-the-Sea is. Besides being a great story, it's a great geography lesson about the Great Lakes area.
Jan 27, 2012
Nick
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I read this book sometime in Middle school I guess. I liked the pictures and I learned something about the Great Lakes. I'll be sure to read this to my daughter.
Jan 06, 2010
Michelle
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I checked this book out more than a hundred times when I was little. I loved it! Now I want to read it again so that I can see if it is as magical as I remember.
Nov 06, 2009
Victoria
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Wonderful story. Well written. My 7 year old son, who usually won't sit still that well for chapter books, thoroughly enjoyed it! It's a great family reading book.
Dec 30, 2011
Laura5
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I really liked the premise of the little canoe traveling on it's way through the great lakes, but the stereotypes and references to "Injuns" were very difficult to take.
Feb 10, 2011
Clark
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Lovely story. Reading it as a child is one of my most vivid literary memories. The twist at the end is better than O.Henry or..."The Sixth Sense."
Jun 24, 2010
Bookwoman67
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Very old book, but a great "adventure" on the Great Lakes. I vaguely remember seeing a movie of it when I was in elementary school (I said it was old!).
