The Song of Lewis Carmichael by Sofie Laguna is a gentle tale of how Matthew Zajac learns to be brave. Matthew is a quiet boy who is afraid of trying new things and struggles to put his thoughts into words.
The adventure begins when a crow, with a broken wing, taps on Matthew’s window one night and invites him on a journey to the Arctic. Matthew has long been fascinated with the North Pole and pours over books of people who have been there. He loves the photos of the scenery and the wild animals. Matthew thinks he is dreaming and agrees to go with the crow who is called, Lewis Carmichael. He climbs out the window, onto the roof where there is a hot air balloon waiting with enough supplies for the journey and a three-day stay, plus warm clothes and boots.
After Matthew and the crow arrive, they explore the terrain. They meet a mother polar bear and her cub. They see reindeers, walruses and arctic wolves as well as a great variety of birds. Sofie Laguna does a great job of describing the scenery and the wildlife.
Through well-told narrative, descriptions and illustrations, The Song of Lewis Carmichael is a lovely story of friendship, resilience and imagination.
Overall, an enjoyable read.
Thanks to the Book Curator for providing a free book for review. More reviews of this book can be found on Goodreads.
