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Over the River and Through the Wood
Well-known together with lesser-known verses to the traditional Thanksgiving song are illustrated from both Grandmother's and the journeying family's point of view.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1844
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About the author
Lydia Maria Child
363 books48 followersLydia Maria Child (1802-1880) was an activist and writer of novels, pamphlets, and works for children. She often used her writing to advocate for slaves, women, and Native Americans. Lydia Maria Child was born in Medford, Massachusetts, where her grandfather’s house, which she celebrates in her poem, still stands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
April 3, 2018
While I love and will always love Lydia Maria Francis Child's evocative poem, I rather majorly and utterly despise this particular edition, simply because David Catrow's illustrations are absolutely not to my taste (and that is indeed the understatement of the year). I find them frustrating, aesthetically, visually annoying, frenetic, grating, and while they might, indeed, be considered a modern spoof, a modern take, they do not (in my opinion) at all mesh with the text, with the peaceful country imagery that is Lydia Maria Francis Child's narrative. The delicate and sweet cadence of the author's poem, that sense of family togetherness and anticipation of a loving and frolicking Thanksgiving is rendered completely moot (and lost) by the garish, gaudy and at times totally freakily creepy illustrations (and while perhaps this actually was David Catrow's intention, it sure leaves me cold, unsatisfied and with a rather nasty if not angry taste in my mouth). Two very very grudging stars (and I do wish I could bring myself to rate this edition, this version of Over the River and Through the Wood with three stars, as I really love and appreciate Lydia Maria Francis Child's sweetly tender poem with all my heart, but David Catrow's accompanying illustrations, well at least to and for me, they leave just about everything to be desired and tend to actually give me the shivers, make me feel visual disgust, and yes indeed, if I were only considering David Catrow's illustrations, one star would be my ranking for his version of Over the River and Through the Wood, with truly no ifs, ands or buts).
November 23, 2021
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, and is recommended as such.
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, and is recommended as such.
November 25, 2009
I LOVE this poem, never get tired of it. To me, it captures the spirit of my Thanksgivings as a child--even if we went to Grandma's house in a car instead of a sleigh! ;-) The woodblock illustrations by Christopher Manson enhance the ambiance of the poem and lend a cozy, historic New England feel.
November 1, 2018
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.
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.
November 29, 2011
Over the River and Through the Wood, illustrated by Matt Tavares.
I enjoyed this version of the dear Thanksgiving poem by Lydia Maria Child and illustrated by Matt Tavares. This version retains Child's original wording so it may be a bit different that the one that is familiar to many of us. I was very glad to read "the original" though I admit it was a bit jarring at times when the words on the page didn't match those flowing through my memory. A brief biographical note about Child is also welcome and interesting, as it mentions her involvement in many important social causes such as women's suffrage and the abolitionist movement.
Tavares' illustrations are pleasing, detailed and charming though I did not love them quite as much as some other reviewers did. They lacked a bit of warmth for me (or perhaps I just felt for the poor dog running along in the snow behind the sled, though he seemed happy enough!) and a few of the facial expressions didn't quite suit me, but all in all I enjoyed them. I appreciated the differences seen as the family travels from their home in town to the grandfather's house (farm) in the country.
I enjoyed this version of the dear Thanksgiving poem by Lydia Maria Child and illustrated by Matt Tavares. This version retains Child's original wording so it may be a bit different that the one that is familiar to many of us. I was very glad to read "the original" though I admit it was a bit jarring at times when the words on the page didn't match those flowing through my memory. A brief biographical note about Child is also welcome and interesting, as it mentions her involvement in many important social causes such as women's suffrage and the abolitionist movement.
Tavares' illustrations are pleasing, detailed and charming though I did not love them quite as much as some other reviewers did. They lacked a bit of warmth for me (or perhaps I just felt for the poor dog running along in the snow behind the sled, though he seemed happy enough!) and a few of the facial expressions didn't quite suit me, but all in all I enjoyed them. I appreciated the differences seen as the family travels from their home in town to the grandfather's house (farm) in the country.
November 4, 2022
Such charming, old fashioned imagery for this delightful Thanksgiving poem. This is one of the best Thanksgiving books I've read this year. Would definitely recommend it! The version with illustrations by Iris Van Rynbach I gave a 5-star (the illustrations were a notch prettier).
Ages: 4+
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
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Ages: 4+
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
November 4, 2022
Such charming, old fashioned imagery for this delightful Thanksgiving poem. This is one of the best Thanksgiving books I've read this year. Would definitely recommend it!
Ages: 4+
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
Ages: 4+
Cleanliness: nothing to note.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
December 16, 2020
The text is the classic poem. The illustrations are just not my jam. A baby on her way to grandma's gets all mixed up in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Cute idea, but drawn by an editorial cartoonist. Just too garish for me.
November 1, 2018
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, / 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.
November 1, 2018
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 .
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 .
November 9, 2015
Don't read the Catrow version if you don't have a sense of humor ... In this version, the family is heading for Grandmother's house but Baby has quite the adventure getting there...the illustrations tell a much wilder (unsafe) version of the "story"/song than the lyrics.
November 30, 2021
Hmm... my mind is split on where to start sharing my thoughts. When I was a child it was the Chipmunks' Christmas Album version of this song I sang again and again. In some of our poetry books (I think it was Gyo Fujikawa) I noticed this poem text. I never knew it was a Thanksgiving journey and NOT Christmas! Through the book list for Memoria Press ( I think it is 3rd grade, maybe 2nd) the older picture book version from NorthSouth illustrated by Christopher Manson in wood cuts was discovered to me. Actually just last week we bought a bargain abridged board book version of it. It's nice and interesting to look at (and is an awesome size 6x7) but it doesn't even begin to compare to the art of Matt Tavares.
I was first introduced to Matt Tavares in his edition of "The Night Before Christmas," also from Candlewick Press, which we read at the library but is still on my wishlist (also a recommendation from Memoria Press). It was enchanting. This book is enchanting (and makes me break out in song) and beautiful! The images are softer (rounded corners) and full of color and vibrant motion and life. My favorite is the page that refers "the sleigh upset..." and the father and mother are with a startled look and the boy's expression is pure delight! The edition I have is a reinforced trade edition new for 2013 (7 5/16" x 8 1/2"), I believe there is a picture book edition previously in 2011 (9 3/4" x 11 5/16") but this is the perfect size for my child's hands and works well as a snuggle read/sing aloud as well.
A neat thing to point out through reading (maybe when not singing...) is the little boy's hat and the dog's attempted rescue of it. Very fun and giggle-worthy, that. This book contains more of the poem text and is not abridged (at least as far as I can tell) and thus adds so much more. Definitely a family favorite to be treasured.
I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
post scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
I was first introduced to Matt Tavares in his edition of "The Night Before Christmas," also from Candlewick Press, which we read at the library but is still on my wishlist (also a recommendation from Memoria Press). It was enchanting. This book is enchanting (and makes me break out in song) and beautiful! The images are softer (rounded corners) and full of color and vibrant motion and life. My favorite is the page that refers "the sleigh upset..." and the father and mother are with a startled look and the boy's expression is pure delight! The edition I have is a reinforced trade edition new for 2013 (7 5/16" x 8 1/2"), I believe there is a picture book edition previously in 2011 (9 3/4" x 11 5/16") but this is the perfect size for my child's hands and works well as a snuggle read/sing aloud as well.
A neat thing to point out through reading (maybe when not singing...) is the little boy's hat and the dog's attempted rescue of it. Very fun and giggle-worthy, that. This book contains more of the poem text and is not abridged (at least as far as I can tell) and thus adds so much more. Definitely a family favorite to be treasured.
I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it. I received no other compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions. Your experience may vary. Please read my full disclosure policy for more details.
post scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
November 2, 2019
Super cute illustrations depict a cute story of one family's trip to their grandparents' house for Thanksgiving.
November 3, 2011
Over the River and Through the Wood: The New England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day by Lydia Maria Francis Child, illustrated by Matt Tavares beautifully illustrates the classic verse of a trip by sleigh to grandmother's house.
The original text is typset in Hadfield. The large font makes it easy to read aloud. The note about the author gives excellent details.
The detailed illustrations are done in watercolor, gouache and pencil.
The double page spreads really carry this verse along. Taveres uses the space well, adding perfect details to each verse for a visual delight. The variety of perspectives are wonderful, starting with an aerial look at the town, the sleigh, the countryside and the farmhouse high above the river. Among my favorite images are the toyshop window, skaters on the river, the puppy startling the horse, Bowser barking, grandmother's reflection in the windowpane, and everyone seated for the Thanksgiving feast. I also love the final image.
This book should become the definitive version for this beloved verse. I highly recommend this for school and public library collections.
For ages 3 and up, Thanksgiving, poetry, seasons, old-fashioned, songs, and fans of Lydia Maria Francis Child and Matt Tavares.
The original text is typset in Hadfield. The large font makes it easy to read aloud. The note about the author gives excellent details.
The detailed illustrations are done in watercolor, gouache and pencil.
The double page spreads really carry this verse along. Taveres uses the space well, adding perfect details to each verse for a visual delight. The variety of perspectives are wonderful, starting with an aerial look at the town, the sleigh, the countryside and the farmhouse high above the river. Among my favorite images are the toyshop window, skaters on the river, the puppy startling the horse, Bowser barking, grandmother's reflection in the windowpane, and everyone seated for the Thanksgiving feast. I also love the final image.
This book should become the definitive version for this beloved verse. I highly recommend this for school and public library collections.
For ages 3 and up, Thanksgiving, poetry, seasons, old-fashioned, songs, and fans of Lydia Maria Francis Child and Matt Tavares.
January 20, 2016
Leave it to David Catrow to put such an unusual spin on this Thanksgiving classic.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the November 2015: Thanksgiving discussion for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This book was featured as one of the selections for the November 2015: Thanksgiving discussion for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
October 12, 2015
This is a lovely and spirited song about Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. We have a CD recording of this song and our girls know the song by heart. The lovely woodcut illustrations by Christopher Manson are just old-fashioned enough and rustic enough to perfectly complement the words. We really enjoyed reading this book together.
November 6, 2012
A humorously illustrated version of a beloved poem. I'm a big fan of David Catrow 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.
November 2, 2011
Given to me by a dear friend. It is a Thanksgiving poem. I sang it and Holland kept looking at me. I do wonder what she was thinking. Love the vintage looking illustrations! I don't think I had ever read or heard the entire poem. It is darling and a new Thanksgiving tradition. The music for the traditional song is on the back page.
November 5, 2015
I guess I must have a wacky sense of humor, because I love this book and have my own personal copy (with the David Catrow illustrations). I like the disconnect between the lyrics of the song about a nice holiday ride and the baby's wild adventures and think they are hilarious. And I like Catrow's over-exaggerated caricatures of the people, animals, and objects.
November 28, 2017
Love this song/poem so picked this up at library thinking it would be a modern day take on the tale. Um, no thank you. As others have stated more eloquently than me, the illustrations are unpleasant to look at and not at all in keeping with the sweet, almost cozy feel one would expect.
November 4, 2018
Read the book to the kids, then to really have it sink in and catch on go to youtube and let them hear it sung with some pictures to go with it. It’s a lot of fun this way they seem to really dig it.
September 21, 2015
I picked this up thinking it was a Christmas story but it turns out to be a Thanksgiving song. Very cute verses and old school illustrations add charm.
October 12, 2012
Notes:
words to this song/story do not go with this book and it's pictures
words to this song/story do not go with this book and it's pictures
November 19, 2012
Nicely done verison of the 1844 poem. Two page spread illustrations alternate between the family on their journey to the grandparents house and the grandparents making the Thanksgiving dinner.
November 2, 2015
Illustrations by David Catrow: I still enjoy the original poem, but these pictures just weren't my thing.
December 30, 2020
I pulled this out for Thanksgiving story times but I wanted to take a look at it so got it out to read. Catrow had a lot of fun using the Macy’s parade to weave his story around. It is all loads of fun and while there is a tinge of suspense, Grandmother saves the day with her baseball cap! I always felt rather obliged to do the traditional song for this holiday story time but it was a relief to get away from rather traditional pictures of sleighing through the woods! Highly recommended!
November 23, 2019
I liked this version for sharing as a song tale in my classroom. The verses were divided nicely on the two page spreads. Another version that was in my classroom was extremely awkward to use as the verses started and ended in odd places for singing it to the class. The illustrations in this version are lovely and the students stayed engaged during the story/song.
November 26, 2020
The illustrations make this version awesome!
November 30, 2024
An incredibly dated library version I kind of loved. This edition is from 1974 and it reminded me of how Little House on the Prairie would style itself like the 70s met the 1800s.
November 15, 2019
3.5 stars. I liked this version of “over the river” a lot. My daughter was less drawn to it this year so we will try it again next year. she’s going through a phase of narrower interest.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews