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Jason’s New Dugout Canoe

by Joe Barber-Starkey, Paul Montpellier, illus.

Writer Joe Barber-Starkey and illustrator Paul Montpellier team up to create a sequel to their first book, Jason and the Sea Otter. In this new story, Jason, a young Nootka boy, wakes to the sounds of a terrible storm. In the morning, he discovers that his prized possession, his canoe, is gone, smashed by the waves during the night. The rest of the story describes how Jason and Uncle Silas make a dugout canoe. Jason learns about First Nations traditions, such as asking the tree for permission to use its wood. He also learns about the importance of canoes to families long ago. The story ends with a celebration in the village and Jason paddling his new canoe.

This picture book is very text-heavy. The text is designed in a two-column format, which makes it look as if it is intended for readers much older than the targeted age. Most sentences exceed 20 words in length; one is 60 words long! The strictly narrative, flat prose would have been improved by the use of dialogue and a stronger connection with sound and other senses. Some interesting descriptions are lost amidst the
monotony of the text.

The art is weak. The best illustrations consist of mountains, forests, West Coast seaside scenes, and animals. The depiction of the main characters, however, is shockingly inconsistent. If it weren’t for the red headband that Jason sports, you’d be hard-pressed to identify him because his face changes so dramatically from page to page. Village scenes and one historical spread of people canoeing seem hastily created.

 

Reviewer: Jill Bryant

Publisher: Harbour Publishing

DETAILS

Price: $18.95

Page Count: 32 pp

Format: Cloth

ISBN: 1-55017-229-8

Released: Oct.

Issue Date: 2001-1

Categories: Picture Books

Age Range: ages 5–9

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