At first Nicky isn’t excited about spending the summer with his grandma in the Wisconsin woods, but he changes his mind after discovering an old raft in the water near her cottage. He soon realizes that his grandparent is marvelously unconventional in unexpected ways. Being a solitary, independent spirit and artist, Grandma allows Nicky to ease into what he will enjoy in his own way and time. When he learns to pole the raft, Nicky notices faded images of birds and animals on its surface. He begins to discover the wildlife moving nearby in the water and along the shore by day and also by night. His grandma provides art materials so the boy can sketch what he observes. LaMarche’s exquisite paintings for this singular story evoke a quiet, secluded Wisconsin river during summertime and encourage more than one type of observation. (Ages 5‑9)