Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet

this book is illustrated beautifully and reads with a smooth flow. good for a bedtime story or any time.

I first discovered Betsy Bowen's art in her woodblock illustrations for The Troll with No Heart in His Body and was really impressed with her work. This is a beautiful book, the illustrations truly give the feeling of time and place. I love the idea of moving through the seasons along with the alphabet. When you get to the end you just naturally want to go around again! Living in the north woods of Idaho, we have many of the same experiences in the course of the year as told about in Antler, Bear, Canoe. I'm giving this book as a gift to a friend's little girl to help her remember life in the woods (she's a city girl now) and look forward to visits to her family's cabin, where she still just might find antlers, bears and canoes . . .

I have known Betsy Bowen since she was very young. I was her babysitter! She came from a very creative family. The House on the cover of her book used to be ours. It's a wonderful representation of life where she lives. You can only appreciate it if you've been there. The book gives you a new way to look at the alphabet and the seasons of the year. It brings new energy to life and the seasons!

This delightful book is an amazing look at life in the North Woods. Bowen's woodcuts are a treat for the adult reader as well as the child. A family treasure.

This is a wonderful book for children of all ages. Each letter of the alphabet is explained using an item, memory or happening from life in the north woods; for example, the letter N stands for Northern Lights. As the book progresses from A to Z so do the seasons of the year- they too progress from winter to spring to summer to fall and back to winter. The illustrations are taken from original woodcuts and are beautiful in their own right. This has always been one of our favorite books to both read and give as gifts.