SAILING WITH THE WIND

by Thomas Locker ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1986

Like Locker's Where the River Begins and The Mare on the Hill, a series of lovely oil landscapes in the spirit of the Hudson River School, masquerading as a picture book. Elizabeth welcomes Uncle Jack, who arrives in a sailboat and arranges to take her down the river to the ocean, a trip they make the next day between sunrise and sunset; a few days later, restless, he says goodbye, promising to come back in a couple of years for another adventure. Although the waves loom at sea and there's a storm on the return trip, the pedestrian text completely fails to convey weather's drama (remember the excitement of the storm in McCloskey's Time of Wonder?); there are no other events of note. But what matter? The serene progression of earth, tree, and sky, from moonlit mist on the river to lowering clouds on a choppy sea, from sun shimmering through mid-morning pines to sun setting in crimson glory reflected in dappled water, conveys the drama of a beautiful setting, albeit conventionally idyllic. Locker's high level of technical proficiency, excellence of design and careful detail are rare in books for children: a rewarding visual experience.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1986

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dial

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1986

Categories: CHILDREN'S