In a cottage by a lake, golden sunlight wakes a young boy named Patrick. Carefully reaching for his binoculars, he creeps out of the bedroom, telling his sister Emily he’s off to look for loons. She follows, and they slip down to the sundeck, where their grandmother meets them, all three intent on sighting the elusive birds. Nature is waking – other creatures stir on the lake, and the music of their activities summons other family members. Mom comes out with old quilts, Grandma makes hot chocolate, Dad cooks pancakes, and Grandpa does his morning stretches. But still, no loons come. The family finally goes in for breakfast – all but Patrick, whose patience is finally rewarded when a family of black and white birds glides into view.

Quebec author Jennifer Lloyd recreates a golden morning at the cottage effectively. The text is patterned so that the human and animal noises echo each other – for example, the woodpecker bangs on the tree trunk and Dad bangs the frying pan on the stove. The repetition of the phrase “No loons came” makes the book a likely choice for reading aloud. But because of the carefully constructed build-up to the arrival of the loons, I felt a little let down when they finally appeared. “Loons!” cries Patrick – who then goes inside for breakfast. I had hoped for a more significant connection between boy and birds, perhaps a magical moment of communion or the gift of a feather – something that’s a lasting memory rather than a morning’s activity.

Vancouver illustrator Kirsti Anne Wakelin’s luminous watercolours are an excellent match for the natural beauty of the tale’s setting. Glowing reds, oranges, and golds fill the double-page spreads. Wakelin uses intriguing vantage points to draw the reader right into the images. Particularly effective are the pictures of the prow of a canoe slicing through lakewater and lily pads, and the beaver as seen through Patrick’s binoculars. Her technique of showing only portions of her subjects (Dad’s torso as he stands at the stove, the underbelly of a swimming frog) creates a sense of proximity and a deeper involvement for the reader. There is a myriad of creatures to identify and visual details to enjoy. Although this is a very attractive and well-designed picture book, Looking for Loons is best valued for the mood it evokes rather than the story it tells.