Gitchi Gumee
by Ann Margaret Lewis; illustrated by Kathleen Chaney Fritz
Published by Mackinac Island Press
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Reviewed by Connie Anderson
Gitchi Gumee means "big water," and those of us who border on Lake Superior--one of the five Great Lakes--we know the name is perfect.
Ann Margaret Lewis tells in short verses ideal for children her story of the big waters and a little boy's curiosity about sailing it.
Kathleen Chaney Fritz's illustrations of the "human face" of the lake are wonderful. You can feel the lake's movement and season changes. Some of the pictures are so beautiful you could frame them.
"I puff out my cheeks and blow my wind," Lewis writes to show how Lake Superior can--and does change so quickly.
This story tells that the lake is home to families playing on the shore, people boating and fishing, and huge ocean freighters carrying products around the world. Many shipwrecks lie beneath the lake's waters.
Armchair Interviews says: If your child likes adventure told with great illustrations, this book is a keeper.