Willow on the River

Gentle, whimsical, sweet. A lovely story with beautiful illustrations. Willow is a good hearted bear, who cares about his friends.

I love the Willow books. They are so charming, and sweet, and gentle. The watercolour illustrations too are soft and muted and downright adorable. These books are perfect for a soothing, quiet story before bedtime--I would recommmend them for 3 to 6 year olds.If you like stories with a delicious British flavour--like Wind in the Willows or The Hobbit--then you will definitely love these delightful picture books, in which Willow lives "on Paradise Farm, at the bottom of Appleby Downs".

Contra the editorial reviews, my 1.5-year-old finds this book quite exciting. It piles up many familiar favorite things: farm animals, bears, singing, a picnic, an elaborate good-night. She's by no means an exceptionally verbal child, yet the moderately long text holds her attention, sometimes through 2 or 3 readings, as she laughs, claps, and points where appropriate. Willow packs a lot of entertaining (if not terribly original) content into a small space without crowding.