• Age: 3 to 7
• Grade: 1 to 12

An ambitious yet impatient little critter seeks adventure outside their cozy forest home

Adventurous little Rumie longs to sail down the stream and find out where it leads, but the water is too low for Uncle Hawthorne’s boat. Suddenly, a ladybird floating on a leaf gives Rumie an idea—they should build a raft! With Uncle’s help, the raft is built and plans are made to take it out the following day.

When Rumie wakes up early the next morning, Uncle is still asleep. Impatient, Rumie decides to test out the raft on their own, but rain from the night before has made the current too strong, and they’re nearly swept over a waterfall! Luckily, just as the raft capsizes, Uncle comes to their rescue. Rumie admits that they should have waited for Uncle instead of going out alone, and the pair spend the afternoon on the lake instead.

Photographs of cuddly plush critters on a real-life forest backdrop bring Rumie’s woodland adventure to life. This visually stunning debut by author and illustrator Meghan Marentette is a nod to the boundless resourcefulness and creativity of children, and a gentle lesson in practicing patience.

As a child, Meghan Marentette - nicknamed "Meghan Mouse" - loved collecting odds and ends to build miniature worlds for her toys. Later, as a costume designer for film and television, she was assigned to make tiny costumes for stop-motion animation puppets. It was during this job that Meghan conceived of the miniature world of her first novel, The Stowaways, which is a finalist for the Ann Connor Brimer Award and the CLA Book of the Year for Children Award. Meghan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Meghan Marentette's profile page

"The narrative itself is simple; the illustrations are anything but: the author crafted puppet models of mice-like creatures, designed and constructed their clothes, built small sets for them, then photographed each scene. The indoor scenes are like those from a dollhouse, if the house were a hollow tree full of charming details."

Booklist

"Photos of endearing plush critters bring to life the adventures of an impetuous young hero ... Enticing and adorable."

Kirkus Reviews

"Rumie Goes Rafting is a valuable cautionary tale of the unpredictability of waters ... young children will be inspired to create their own scenes with their small stuffies, build rafts to travel in puddles, and tell stories of sailing, and maybe flying, adventures."

CanLit for Little Canadians

"Marentette’s debut picture book is playful, with charming photographed illustrations of realistic dioramas created with natural materials and found objects ... Suitable for modeling and inspiring imaginative play, as well as ideas for those dreamy readers who like to insert themselves into every scene."

School Library Journal

"In her debut picture book, Marentette uses plush mice set in the forest with natural materials and found objects to create the charming images which add whimsy and magical feel to Rumie Goes Rafting. The imagery speaks to children's creativity and curiosity as they find possibilities with everyday objects around them. This story nurtures children's sense of adventure while gently teaching the importance of patience and safety in all adventures."

Canadian Review of Materials