The Log Driver's Waltz

by Wade Hemsworth, Jennifer Phelan (Illustrator)

Acclaimed illustrator Jennifer Phelan reimagines Wade Hemsworth’s iconic log driver in a beautiful, contemporary picture-book adaptation of a beloved Canadian classic.

If you ask any girl from the parish around

What pleases her most from her head to her toes

She’ll say I'm not sure that it’s business of yours

But I do like to waltz with a log driver

Based on the perennially popular Canadian folk song and animated short film of the same name, The Log Driver’s Waltz showcases a spunky, independent young woman whose parents are keen for her to marry. The town’s well-to-do doctors, merchants, and lawyers try to impress her, but it’s the humble log driver—with his style, grace, and joie de vivre—who captures her attention. When she and the log driver finally meet on the dance floor, their joy leaps off the page.

With homages to the original film, and celebrating the flora, fauna, and folk art of this great land, The Log Driver’s Waltz brings a hallmark of Canadian childhood to life.

Genres: Picture Books, Canada, Childrens, Fiction, Music

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2018

About the author

Note: There is more than one author with this name in the GR database. This is Wade^Hemsworth.

Albert Wade Hemsworth (1916-2002) was a Canadian folk singer and songwriter. He is best known for "The Wild Goose", "The Black Fly Song" and "The Log Driver's Waltz."

Reviews

[Chinook]

This gets five stars for the nostalgia factor, if you’re reading it because it’s a book of the 1979 short cartoon clip that goes with the song. If you’re reading it to little kids today, even with a preview of the clip on YouTube, it’s more of a three star read. The girls weren’t all that excited by it.

[Meredith]

Ahhh, the sweet memories of a Canadian childhood in the 80's.

[Jeffrey]

Very disappointing

[Andy Grabia]

I sqeueed out loud when I saw this in my local bookstore. The 1979 NFB animated short “The Log Driver’s Waltz,” was a staple of Canadian television throughout the 80s and 90s. It used to run in-between morning cartoons. You’d get your American cartoons, your Tom & Jerry, Jetsons and Spider-Man, and then BAM, this weird Canadian video that transformed from historic black and white footage of guys scrambling on logs to an animation of a skinny, pirouetting log driver in a toque and plaid shirt. And there was a song. Turns out the two women singing this ditty were Anne and Kate McGarrigle, folksinging royalty from Montreal, Quebec (Kate is the mother of Rufus and Martha Wainwright), and the song was catchy as hell. CBC also ran it late at night, right before they signed off the air (back in the day when television stations actually went quiet for a few hours). You won’t find a Gen Xer in Canada who doesn’t know this song like the back of their hand. And now we get this beautifully illustrated book from Jennifer Phelan. The illustrations are stunning, faithful to the short, yet also very much their own. The colors are gorgeous, and there’s probably about six or seven pages that could be cut out, framed, and hung in a cabin, cottage, camp or whatever the heck it is you call your weekend getaway. This is a perfect book for Fall, and the perfect gift for any true Canadian.

[Kelly]

This is based on the song by Wade Hemsworth. And, was developed in to a short animated film.
No one (of a certain age) can read this book without singing along.
I bought it for a little friend to cheer them up and I can't stop singing!

Beautiful illustrations for this Canadian Classic.

[Wlitner]

I think it might be illegal to raise kids in Canada without this?

[Sari]

Who wants to read their child a book in which the life lesson at the end is to run away from your parents and elope when you disagree about who to marry!? Really!? This book is basically a girl pining over a log driver because he's a good dancer. That's right, she elopes with a man because he's a good dancer! Not because she loves him for being a kind person, or generous person, or because they have had conversations and share common interests. I can't get behind a book that basically is a teenage girl pining and preening over a superficial love and running away over it. What a terrible story to read children. It's unfortunate, I was very excited when I discovered this book, which hits a nostalgic note for me.

[Nadia L. Hohn]

I loved this book which explained a little bit of Canadiana to me. I grew up watching the short NFB film of the song The Log Driver's Waltz without fully understanding the lyrics. Although it was written by Wade Hemsworth, it is a woman's story sung by a woman. She is impressed with the waltzing skills of the log driver over the "doctors and merchants and lawyers" her parents try to fix her up with. Why is this all written into a children's book? I don't know but it works. Cute illustrations and, again, finally have the actual lyrics to a song that was part of my childhood. Entertaining.

[Brett Plaxton]

Boy, is this book ever a pleasant blast of nostalgia! Anybody who has grown up in Canada from the 80’s and onwards has most likely seen the animated short that was inspired by this song! Good luck trying to read this one without singing the song! 😄
The illustrations were a nice touch for the book!
Canadian or not, check this and the animated short out!

[Kbeckermann]

This is a wonderful picture book of the beloved song. The pictures capture the spirit of it, the lightness of the dancing, Canadian scenes and the romantic story. If you don't know the film, watch it and you'll be singing along as you read the book and enjoy the pictures. This book isn't just for children.

[Luciana]

A Canadian classic that should be shared!

While I have always loved this song, I relate it to the historical Canadian vignettes of when there was a black & white film about the logdriver running along with the song.

While this book is great, it lacks a cd that would go so greatly with it, as well, I think that would entice youngsters to enjoy this book a bit more.

[Debbie]

I love the song, i love the NFB short, now this picture book adds one more dimension. You cannot help but sing as you pour over the illustrations in this book.
Did i mention my father-in-law was a log driver? I'm not sure that he quite had these moves, but I like to think that he did.

[Ali]

Anyone who grew up with the NFB short played on CBC would have nostalgia for this piece of Canadian content. This book takes the song lyrics and makes it into a story book completely with great illustrations. Very worth it for those who love Canadian content!

[Tanya]

The song and film are intrinsically tied to my childhood so I doubt I could leave a bad review. The charming illustrations bring it to life on the page. +1 for author's estate's earnings going to a grant fund for Canadian songwriters.

[Rachel]

I have a soft spot for this song, which I watched endlessly as an NFB animated movie when I was a little one. Jennifer Phelan's art is rad, and I love how her clever illustrations are reminiscent of the NFB art yet still entirely their own. Big, giant, Canadian thumbs up!

[Emma]

If it had more poetry I think it would be better.

[Melissa]

I have always loved the song Log Driver's Waltz, I still watch it on Youtube occasionally. The illustrations are beautiful and of course I read the words to the tune of the song.

[Emma Jane]

Absolutely love this book.

[Engel Dreizehn]

Beautiful adaptation of the good old Canadian classic!

[Christine]

Completely sentimental… memories from childhood.

[Charlotte]

Wonderful memory~

[Colleen]

I want to buy every Canadian kid a copy of this book. This was such a large part of my childhood. I love the song and the illustrations are gorgeous(they even have the actual dude from the TV piece!) I like how they modernized it a bit. And there's a very nice shout out to the McGarrigle sisters, which made me smile.

Oh, and I dare anyone who is familiar with the TV piece to read this book and not sing it in your head at the same time.

[Deanna]

I think I enjoyed this mostly because I love the cover of this song performed by Captain Tractor. The illustrations are adorable. I have to say I had a hard time reading it as a picture book, because I could not stop hearing the text as song in my head.

[Kate]

This is a children’s picture book written from the perspective of a young lady who falls in love with a log driver. She loves how his skill of driving logs makes him light and airy on the dance floor. I didn’t really care for the prose of the book, but I did like the pictures.