This wordless picture book is a love story to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. You can see in the facial and body expressions of the child in the car and then the canoe that they aren't sure they really want to be there at the beginning of the trip. As they experience the water, forest, sky, and animals however, the expressions change to delight and wonder. I've never personally been to BWCA but this book makes me want to go.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

It took me three attempts to download this book from netgalley but it was absolutely worth it!

This is a stunning work of art by John Owens!

This book is a wordless picture book and unfolds showing a family of three's canoe holiday exploring the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness within the Superior National Forest of Minnesota.
The story shows the familys journey through the Wilderness and all the sights they see and the adventure they have in the beautiful wilderness as there is just them there.
The child doesn't look too keen to be going at the beginning but as the story progresses their face is alight with wonder, joy and excitement.

This is a stunning book and although wordless I absolutely loved it.

A family travels to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) on the Minnesota–Canada border. One must portage (carry your canoe) to get from one lake to another. There are thousands. In this picture book, they are the only family there, and get to see the wilderness in all its glory.

It is a lovely book, showing off the beauty of the area. The author says, that he hopes that someday everyone can visit BWCA, but in the meantime, here is the book to enjoy it.

Lovely book. Lovely place.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This is a beautiful little picture book with NO WORDS. (The amount of times I’ve had a kid/family come into the library looking for a wordless book for a school assignment is enough reason to carry this book!)

One Summer Up North is a beautifully done story of a family vacation to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. As someone who grew up hiking and rafting with my family in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park, this was a nostalgic read. The illustrations are charmingly textured and full of movement. (I wish I could see all the pages in a long line to see the whole journey together.)

I can only read books that can be downloaded to my kindle. Thanks for sending me the book, but I can't read or review it.

Great illustrations provide much to talk about in this wordless picture book that lets readers discover the adventures to be had in the great outdoors.

If you are planning a trip Up North in the near future or have been like our family, I would highly recommend this book. It will prepare you for the great many sights, sounds, and activities that there are to do. Words are not needed in this book. You can almost breathe fresh air. See the mist of the lake, and hear the loons as they call out to each other. See what is up North for yourself!

A Special Thank you to Univ. of Minnesota Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest re

This is very unique book indeed! At Ada’s age, she is only just starting to be able to recognise words. With this book, she is able to explore and tell stories, without needing to have the story given to her. She loved seeing the illustrations and telling me about what was happening. It was great to see her imagination come to life. We can’t wait to see more from this author.

This is a wordless picture book about a wilderness trip. What I assume is a family (mother, father, child) take a trip to a secluded wilderness. They use a canoe numerous times, they camp outside in tents, and they seem to really enjoy nature, the mother has darker brown skin, the father is light-skinned, with the child somewhere in between. The illustrations are bright and beautiful.

This is a really good picture book for kids about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) in Minnesota. The art perfectly illustrates the beauty of the area, and the fact that it's all pictures lends the air of tranquility that one wouldn't get if there were words in the book. I grew up in Minnesota and this brought back so many memories of the beauty of this land. Highly recommended!

I received a free digital Advanced Reading Copy of this book in exchange for giving an honest review. This book is by John Owens and is completely made up of illustrations, without any words. For me, it was a reflection on nature, slowing down, and being present in the beautiful outdoors. I felt the book came to an end a little too quickly. The feel of reading this book is more like flipping through a photo album than reading a novel (or even a graphic novel). Like I said, my only wish is that it was a bit longer. It felt like it created a slow, relaxed environment, but then suddenly came to an end. I'd like it to be drawn out a bit more. If you're looking for a book with only pictures that evokes a calming, relaxing feel, this could be a great read for your family! It would be a great book for young kids who are learning to love nature and the environment. They can enjoy the artwork in this book without needing your help to read the words! This book is being published in September 2020!

This is a wordless book. It’s illustrator draws from his memories of nature’s majesty and profound personal experiences canoeing in the Boundary Waters near the Minnesota - Canadian border.

Beauty is portrayed through the illustrations, be it the variety of wildlife found on nearly every page, the night sky lit up with stars, or a special moment shared between family members. There is much to take in and the nostalgia on each page is palpable. I can imagine that parents and children might enjoy making up stories to go with the pictures, coming up with a different story arc each time.

The pictures have enough depth to tell stories of one of the few pristine areas left on earth. It looks like a magical place to visit. Being from Minnesota, I hope I will get to see the Boundary Waters with my own eyes someday.

I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

John Owens tells the story of exploring the Boundary Waters during a family outing in his debut wordless picture book.

Owens' illustrations, rendered with black colored pencil on Strathmore bristol and digital color, are exceptional and perfectly suited for the setting of this story. The illustrations, particularly those of the night sky, will give readers a window into the wilderness and have them longing for a camping trip of their own.

The notable shortcoming in this book is the change in the child's attitude during the course of the story. While it is clear from the illustrations that the child is not happy in the beginning about the trip and is excited by the end, it is the explanation about the turning point that is lacking. Readers may find themselves confused about why the child has a sudden change in attitude regarding the trip. Still, it is an enjoyable read.

Overall, this is a lovely book about the beauty of the outdoors. It is a possible purchase for libraries looking to add wordless picture books to their collection, or books about the outdoors or quality family time. Readers may seek out this book for the same reasons.

***I would like to thank NetGalley and the University of Minnesota Press for providing an Advanced Readers' Copy (ARC) in exchange for a fair review. I would also like to thank the author for providing more detail regarding the media used for the illustrations. All opinions are my own.***

Hmmm… This is an attractive book, full of very pleasant art, but I don't know that it will grab its audience and achieve its goals. It features a kid who we are told is having her first adventure out with her parents and their canoe in the wilderness between USA and Canada, in an Edenic but very aquatic nature park. I say 'we are told' this as the pages have no text or context – all we get is wordless double-page spread after wordless double-page spread, peppered with wildlife, and showing the different scenarios of life in the wilds – the fishing, the rain, the belittling wonder of the Milky Way… It is quite appealing, but would the wordless scenario – both the book and living it in real life – really appeal to the modern youngster? Would the abrupt ending here, if you can dare call it that, really inspire itchy feet and a willingness to go there, as the author says he hopes? I can't complain about the artwork, but I can certainly share my doubts as to whether this can be called a success.