EMWF Kids’ Reading Recommendations

Lights along the River

Written by Pat Lamondin Skene
Illustrated by Sabrina Gendron
Published by Orca Book Publishers

Ages: 6-8

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pat Lamondin Skene retired from the world of banking to find her voice. She is a Métis author of seven books for children, including What a Hippopota-Mess, Rhyme Stones and Monster Lunch. Her forthcoming memoir, Swiftly Flowing Waters, shares more stories of her childhood growing up on the Magnetawan River. Pat keeps her imagination fed and watered in Oakville, Ontario.

Photo Credit: Barb Dubrawski

Pat Lamondin Skene

The illustrations were very good. It was a nice story about getting electricity. I would recommend it for kids in elementary school.

– Grade 4 student

Lights along the River

On a cold winter morning in 1952, Patsy Lamondin wakes to the day electricity will finally be connected to her small town along the Magnetawan River.

Patsy and her siblings buzz with excitement, eagerly awaiting the ceremony being held at the center of town. The Lamondins have lived along the waters of Georgian Bay and the Magnetawan River for generations. They are a Métis family who love music, dancing and being outdoors, and Patsy ponders how electricity will change all of their daily lives. What she knows for sure is that, whatever changes, she will always feel she belongs here.

Read on to find the recommendations for Lights along the River courtesy of June Avenue Public School’s Grade 3 and 4 students!

“I liked the book because they don’t have light and then there’s a big ceremony for a light to turn on and when they got home their dad was home from work and the lights were on, all three of them were running around switching lights on and off and jumping on their beds after dark. The book taught me that some people don’t have light and sometimes a big miracle happens.”
– Grade 3 student

“I liked that it had non fiction parts. I also liked the scenery and the river looks really nice.”
– Grade 4 student

“The illustrations were very good. It was a nice story about getting electricity. I would recommend it for kids in elementary school.”
– Grade 4 student

“I felt it was a good book because it showed that not everywhere has electricity and it makes us understand that we shouldn’t waste things. I would recommend this to other kids from Kindergarten to Grade 3!”
– Grade 4 student

“It is a nice book. It is nonfiction and there are nice pictures and it tells us how a light came into the city. They are all playing together and having fun.”
– Grade 4 student

“I think it is good because it teaches you how electricity came to the city and before it had only lanterns and it is a true story. When they used to be at the river there were no lights there and there were lights when electricity came. There was more light in the house than usual.”
– Grade 3 student

“I like how the main character learned how they were getting electricity and when they got electricity they were all excited. I liked when they went to the ceremony to see whether they could actually get electricity. I liked that she changed her excitement from the start to the finish.”
– Grade 4 student

“The book was good. It was about a girl who didn’t see electricity in her town until they added electricity. I liked how it shows a girl who sees electricity for the first time.”
– Grade 4 student