Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Paddle-to-the-Sea

August 2nd marks the 111th birthday of one of America's beloved authors and illustrators, Holling Clancy Holling. In 1941, Mr. Holling published his classic nonfiction book, Paddle-t0-the-Sea. The story follows a little boat christened "Paddle-to-the-Sea" by a young Native American boy who launches it from the Nipigon country in the Canadian wilderness. He carves a small boy in the 12-inch wooden canoe and sends the boat on a journey through the Great Lakes, along the St. Lawrence Seaway, finally reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

The beauty of this books lies in the author's artistry with both words and illustrations. He offers a meaningful way to learn about the Great Lakes and its ecosystems.

For a more modern touch, David Hart from Wisconsin Sea Grant and his son Noah created a Google Lit Trip based on this book - follow it here: Google Lit trip of Paddle-to-the-sea.

Interested in traveling around the Great Lakes yourself? Don't miss the Great Lakes Circle Tour.