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Author: John Denver Illustrator: Christopher Canyon
Retail Price: Paperback • $8.95 | Hardback with CD • $19.95 This brilliant picture book adaptation of John Denver’s first hit song is all about roots, family, and country. Set in Appalachia, a humorously diverse bunch of relatives and their in-laws go up, down and around the hills of West Virginia to converge by car, pickup, and motorcycle to a family reunion at Grandma and Grandpa’s country home. True to Appalachian style, Canyon portrays it all as if on a quilt, complete with little stitches between the “fabric.” The lyrics demand to be sung—the hardback edition comes with a CD of John Denver singing his classic in this “John Denver & Kids” book series. |
- National Parenting Publications Award (NAPPA)
- ABA Book Sense Selection
A cast of wonderfully expressive characters journey day and night toward a reunion. Just as in real life, the family members are an interesting bunch, humorously reflected in the vehicles they are driving – a peace-sign-adorned Volkswagen van, a motorcycle, a station wagon towing a camper, a pickup truck, a camouflage-painted jeep and a fancy touring auto. The joyous reunion and its attendant feast and musical jam will have families itching to gather together. Canyon`s portrayal of the song`s West Virginia mountains and countryside as a quilt is inspired. Painting on textured paper and including every detail, right down to the stitches between the differently patterned ‘fabrics’ making up the fields, mountains and trees, even hardcore quilters might be fooled into thinking this was the work of a needle and thread.
— Kirkus Review (October 1, 2005)
And many a family will want to load up the minivan for an outing expressly to hear John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads, which has been released in a book-and-CD package, adapted and illustrated by Christopher Canyon (who also adapted the late singer’s Sunshine On My Shoulders for kids). Jaunty artwork with the busy color and texture of a patchwork quilt add to the listen-while-you-look fun.
— Publisher’s Weekly (October 10, 2005)
When I started going down that country road many years ago I had no idea where it would lead. The thought became a song and the song happily traveled the world in many cultures and languages. It’s found itself in outer space and at the bottom of the sea.
Now for a new world of children it’s brought to life through the captivating imagination of Christopher Canyon and his colorful patchwork quilt inspired illustrations. Like most of the fun books I’ve ever looked at with kids, the pages are full of interesting things to find. Every turn of page reveals new characters and objects to make up side stories about while we follow various folks and critters “home” to a family reunion. It’s vibrant and happy and sure to be requested by the young ones over and over. I can’t wait to read it to a kid.
— Bill Danoff – Co-songwriter with John Denver of
“Take Me Home, Country Roads”
