The Lost Lake

by Allen Say

Overview

Luke and his father, who is disgusted by the tourists surrounding the once secluded lake of his childhood, hike deeper into the wilderness to find a "lost lake" of their own. "Say's watercolor paintings, embracing the many moods of the natural world, . . . really command attention. Readers will feel that they have been on their own journey of discovery." -- Horn Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547346588
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/27/1992
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	899,670
Lexile:	540L (what's this?)
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Allen Say was born in Yokohama, Japan, and came to the United States when he was sixteen. His many treasured books for children include Tree of Cranes, Allison, and the Caldecott Medal–winning Grandfather's Journey. He lives in Portland, Oregon.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Say's watercolor paintings, embracing the many moods of the natural world, . . . really command attention. Readers will feel that they have been on their own journey of discovery." Horn Book

"Say's watercolor paintings, embracing the many moods of the natural world, . . . really command attention. Readers will feel that they have been on their own journey of discovery." Horn Book Guide

Editorial Reviews

A boy spends a lonely summer with his father, who is so engrossed in work he scarcely notices or talks to his son. Early one Saturday Dad wakes the boy with a surprise: they are going camping, in search of a special lake Dad had visited as a boy. When the Lost Lake is rediscovered, it is overrun with families camping and swimming; Dad is determined they will find another. Through a bleak rainstorm and dangerous bear country father and son press on, and the boy is happy to see Dad gradually become more animated and talkative. The father's dogged perseverance finally pays off: a brand-new special lake, all to themselves, to enjoy and remember. There is a sense of melancholy pervading Say's narrative, yet the story is far from depressing. The reader is drawn into the frustration felt--for different reasons--by both father and son, and rejoices with them in their final glorious discovery. The search for a childhood dream has a universal appeal, and Say's watercolors beautifully enhance both the senses of loss and discovery. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 1-4-- One summer Luke goes to live with his father in the city. Lonely, without friends, and with his noncommunicative father working all the time, he is bored. All that changes, however, when they set off on a camping trip in the mountains. Their destination is Lost Lake, his father's favorite holiday hideaway. Heavily burdened with supplies, they hike into the wilderness, only to discover that Lost Lake has been found, and is crowded with campers and tents. Disgusted, his father decides to head deep into the woods to find a secluded camping site, and Luke is soon swept along by his father's determination to find their own special lake. This is an absorbing story which takes readers on two journeys. The obvious trek is into the wilderness, but there is a parallel route which follows the boy and his father as they develop a deeper understanding of one another. The illustrations are meticulous, clean, and have an air of serenity. In the early scenes, readers sense the loneliness and isolation of the father's apartment, while the challenge, the mystery, and the wonder of being off the beaten track are captured in evocative woodland landscapes. The pictures of Luke and his father display a tenderness and warmth altogether different from the landscapes. In each, Say reveals his considerable talent which quietly and effectively draws readers into each of the scenes depicted. A wholly satisfying story. --Phyllis G. Sidorsky, National Cathedral Sch . , Washington, DC

School Library Journal

"Say's watercolor paintings, embracing the many moods of the natural world, . . . really command attention. Readers will feel that they have been on their own journey of discovery." Horn Book

"Say's watercolor paintings, embracing the many moods of the natural world, . . . really command attention. Readers will feel that they have been on their own journey of discovery." Horn Book Guide —

From the Publisher