40th anniversary edition of a rediscovered classic
When Pubah and Lazy LaRue move to a houseboat on an Oregon river, they find themselves immersed in a life filled with whimsical adventures. Even though their dwelling is ancient, tippy, and in need of endless repairs, their affection for it, for river life, and for one another does not wane. These linked stories teem with life and with love for their friends and for new neighbors—other houseboat people, ducks, beavers, muskrats, and all else the river has to offer. Lazy LaRue writes stories; Pubah is an apprentice electrician. Their world encompasses the mundane and the fanciful—from lassoing logs and rewiring a houseboat to dreaming of new inventions and traveling in a hot air balloon.
Filled with humor, optimism, and playful exploration, the stories in these pages bring warmth and inspiration. Illustrations by Mary Narkiewicz capture the quirky quality of the tales with splendid charm and add to the dreamlike quality of the storytelling. A new afterword by the author reflects on writing The Riverhouse Stories and on the cultural climate of the time, showing how much the world has changed over four decades.