This book is about a young girl, Mabel, and a young boy, Will, who are fishing at Kalaska Pond. Mabel wonders where the sun, wind and rain come from and how the environment works when the elder Indian lady, Lillian Two Blossom appears. She takes them on a magical boat ride and shows them how it works.

I really liked this book because it has such an explosive plot. Lillian changes in the book and the pictures are alive. I think this is a great book to read to children in the classroom to get their imaginations going.

Classroom ideas would be everyone makes Indian hats to wear during this book reading. A teacher could make a magic carpet to represent a boat the children could "ride" on as they read. ( )

Based upon a tale related to her as a girl by her father, this early picture-book from the prolific Patricia Polacco - published in 1989, I believe it is the sixth of her fifty-five titles to see print - follows the story of young Will (Polacco's father) and his sister Mabel, and their adventures with an old Indian woman, Lillian Two Blossom. Fishing (or attempting to fish) down by Kalaska Pond, Will must contend with Mabel's constant questions - "Why does the sun cross the sky?" "Who brings the night?" - questions for which he has no answers. Enter Lillian Two Blossom, an elderly Indian woman said to live in the woods near their Michigan home, who takes them on a magical boat-ride through the sky - a boat ride that gives them the answers to Mabel's many questions...

Although I understand that Boat Ride With Lillian Two Blossom is based upon a tall tale related by Polacco's father, which is in turn based on real-life experiences from his childhood (presumably sans aerial voyage), I can't say that I found it that convincing. It wasn't simply that I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief, and enter into the magic of the story (although there is that), but also that I found the plot device of the "magical/mystical Indian guide" - a regrettable theme that pops up, from time to time, in American literature of all kinds - somewhat hackneyed and stereotypical. All in all, not a favorite of mine, when it comes to Polacco's work. ( )

William and Mabel are fishing one day, wondering what makes the wind blow, the sun rise and set, etc. A Native American woman appears from the woods and takes them on a "boat ride" into the sky to explain the Native American beliefs behind all of their questions.

This book could be used in Social studies to introduce Native American history, culture and beliefs; it could also be used in Science to instill a curiosity as to how the world "really" works. Another great book by Polacco with multiple uses.