Raft of Stars: A Novel
(OverDrive MP3 Audiobook, OverDrive Listen)
"A rousing adventure yarn full of danger and heart and humor." —Richard Russo
An instant classic for fans of Jane Smiley and Kitchens of the Great Midwest: when two hardscrabble young boys think they've committed a crime, they flee into the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Will the adults trying to find and protect them reach them before it's too late?
It's the summer of 1994 in Claypot, Wisconsin, and the lives of ten-year-old Fischer "Fish" Branson and Dale "Bread" Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don't talk about.
One night, tired of seeing his best friend bruised and terrorized by his no-good dad, Fish takes action. A gunshot rings out and the two boys flee the scene, believing themselves murderers. They head for the woods, where they find their way onto a raft, but the natural terrors of Ironsforge gorge threaten to overwhelm them.
Four adults track them into the forest, each one on a journey of his or her own. Fish's mother Miranda, a wise woman full of fierce faith; his granddad, Teddy, who knows the woods like the back of his hand; Tiffany, a purple-haired gas station attendant and poet looking for connection; and Sheriff Cal, who's having doubts about a life in law enforcement.
The adults track the boys toward the novel's heart-pounding climax on the edge of the gorge and a conclusion that beautifully makes manifest the grace these characters find in the wilderness and one another. This timeless story of loss, hope, and adventure runs like the river itself amid the vividly rendered landscape of the Upper Midwest.
If you are having problem transferring a title to your device, please fill out this support form or visit the library so we can help you to use our eBooks and eAudio Books.
Andrew J. Graff. (2021). Raft of Stars: A Novel. Unabridged HarperAudio.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Andrew J. Graff. 2021. Raft of Stars: A Novel. HarperAudio.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Andrew J. Graff, Raft of Stars: A Novel. HarperAudio, 2021.
MLA Citation (style guide)Andrew J. Graff. Raft of Stars: A Novel. Unabridged HarperAudio, 2021.
| Library | Owned | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Digital Collection | 2 | 2 |
OverDrive Product Record
- images
- cover:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0293-1/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img100.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- thumbnail:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0293-1/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img200.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- cover150Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0293-1/6EE/000/4B/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img150.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- cover300Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0293-1/6EE/000/4B/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img400.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- cover:
- formats
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063031937
- name: OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
- id: audiobook-mp3
- identifiers:
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063031937
- name: OverDrive Listen
- id: audiobook-overdrive
- identifiers:
- mediaType
- Audiobook
- primaryCreator
- role: Author
- name: Andrew J. Graff
- title
- Raft of Stars
- dateAdded
- 2021-03-19T22:32:00Z
- contentDetails
- href: https://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=141&titleID=5558973
- type: text/html
- account:
- name: Sacramento Public Library (CA)
- id: 1151
- sortTitle
- Raft of Stars A Novel
- crossRefId
- 5558973
- subtitle
- A Novel
- id
- 6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF
- starRating
- 3.2
OverDrive MetaData
- isPublicDomain
- False
- formats
- duration: 11:51:10
- fileName: RaftofStars_9780063031937_5558973
- partCount: 13
- fileSize: 338542096
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063031937
- rights:
- type: PlayOnPC
- value: 1
- type: PlayOnPCCount
- value: -1
- type: BurnToCD
- value: 1
- type: BurnToCDCount
- value: -1
- type: PlayOnPM
- value: 1
- type: TransferToSDMI
- value: 1
- type: TransferToNonSDMI
- value: 1
- type: TransferCount
- value: -1
- type: CollaborativePlay
- value: 0
- type: PublicPerformance
- value: 0
- type: TranscodeToAAC
- value: 1
- name: OverDrive MP3 Audiobook
- isReadAlong: False
- id: audiobook-mp3
- onSaleDate: 3/23/2021
- samples:
- source: Part 1
- formatType: audiobook-mp3
- url: https://excerpts.cdn.overdrive.com/FormatType-425/0293-1/5558973-RaftOfStars.mp3
- source: From the book
- formatType: audiobook-overdrive
- url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=6ee0004b-fc45-4012-8c9b-bf1215e46ccf&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
- duration: 11:45:12
- fileName: RaftofStarsANovel-16879
- partCount: 0
- fileSize: 338497195
- identifiers:
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063031937
- name: OverDrive Listen
- isReadAlong: False
- id: audiobook-overdrive
- onSaleDate: 3/23/2021
- samples:
- source: Part 1
- formatType: audiobook-mp3
- url: https://excerpts.cdn.overdrive.com/FormatType-425/0293-1/5558973-RaftOfStars.mp3
- source: From the book
- formatType: audiobook-overdrive
- url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=6ee0004b-fc45-4012-8c9b-bf1215e46ccf&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
- creators
- role: Author
- fileAs: Graff, Andrew J.
- bioText:
Andrew J. Graff is the author of novel Raft of Stars. His fiction and essays have appeared in Image and Dappled Things. Andrew grew up fishing, hiking, and hunting in Wisconsin's Northwoods. After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, he earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He lives in Ohio and teaches at Wittenberg University.
- name: Andrew J. Graff
- role: Narrator
- fileAs: Hoppe, Lincoln
- name: Lincoln Hoppe
- publishDate
- 2021-03-23T00:00:00-04:00
- edition
- Unabridged
- isOwnedByCollections
- True
- title
- Raft of Stars
- fullDescription
"A rousing adventure yarn full of danger and heart and humor." —Richard Russo
An instant classic for fans of Jane Smiley and Kitchens of the Great Midwest: when two hardscrabble young boys think they've committed a crime, they flee into the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Will the adults trying to find and protect them reach them before it's too late?
It's the summer of 1994 in Claypot, Wisconsin, and the lives of ten-year-old Fischer "Fish" Branson and Dale "Bread" Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don't talk about.
One night, tired of seeing his best friend bruised and terrorized by his no-good dad, Fish takes action. A gunshot rings out and the two boys flee the scene, believing themselves murderers. They head for the woods, where they find their way onto a raft, but the natural terrors of Ironsforge gorge threaten to overwhelm them.
Four adults track them into the forest, each one on a journey of his or her own. Fish's mother Miranda, a wise woman full of fierce faith; his granddad, Teddy, who knows the woods like the back of his hand; Tiffany, a purple-haired gas station attendant and poet looking for connection; and Sheriff Cal, who's having doubts about a life in law enforcement.
The adults track the boys toward the novel's heart-pounding climax on the edge of the gorge and a conclusion that beautifully makes manifest the grace these characters find in the wilderness and one another. This timeless story of loss, hope, and adventure runs like the river itself amid the vividly rendered landscape of the Upper Midwest.
- reviews
- premium: True
- source:
- content: Narrator Lincoln Hoppe's delivery is measured as he gives unique personalities to the characters in Graff's debut novel. Fish and Bread are two 10-year-old boys who are on the run in the northern Wisconsin wilderness after Fish shoots Bread's father in the head. They speak in short, declarative sentences as they navigate the wilderness, their fear, and the weight of their actions. Teddy, Fish's wise grandfather, and Cal, a transplanted Texan who is the new sheriff, are on their trail. Teddy's gruff voice is often impatient as he deals with the sheriff's lack of knowledge and experience. Cal lacks a Texas drawl as he navigates his doubts and the new world he finds himself in. Fish's mother, Miranda; 20-something Tiffany; and Constable Bobby add further dimension to the story. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
- premium: True
- source:
- content:
January 25, 2021
Though set in 1994, the wilderness odyssey that shapes Graff’s rewarding coming-of-age debut has a timeless, archetypal resonance. After the death of Fischer “Fish” Branson’s father, Fish spends summers with his grandfather Teddy in tiny Claypot, Wis. His best friend there is Dale “Bread” Breadwin, whose dad, Jack, is an abusive drunk. After Fish impulsively shoots Jack in an attempt to end Bread’s suffering, the two 10-year-olds mistakenly assume he is dead. They pilfer supplies, leave a note for Teddy, and hide in the dense woods that border the town while they improvise a raft to flee Claypot by river. Teddy and the town sheriff, Cal, a burned-out former cop from Texas, look for them on horseback, while Fish’s fiercely spiritual mom mounts a search by canoe with a young woman who works at a gas station and shares with Cal an unspoken attraction. By the time these six converge at a perilous waterfall, each has come to know more about themselves and each other. Though the resolution yields few surprises, Graff depicts the harsh Northwoods setting and his misfit characters’ inner lives with equal skill. The dynamic quest narrative offers plenty of rich moments. Agent: Janet Silver, Aevitas Creative.
- premium: True
- source:
- content:
Starred review from December 1, 2020
DEBUT In 1990s northern Wisconsin, 10-year-old Fischer "Fish" Branson and Dale "Bread" Breadwin flee into the woods after believing that Fish has killed Bread's abusive father, eventually constructing a raft to carry them down a dangerous river. They're followed by four adults frantic to save them: woebegone sheriff Cal, newly arrived in Wisconsin and beginning to doubt his calling; gas station attendant Tiffany, a poet and outsider secretly longing for Cal; Fish's mother, a fierce Pentecostal not above cursing when she rides the rapids; and Fish's tough, wilderness-smart grandfather. The characters are expertly drawn in their shifting relationships, and the two boys' closeness and bravery are especially affecting. Realistically, they have moments of genuine tension in a narrative that is both an engaging adventure and a profound reflection on human bonding, what it means to be a man (and a good one), and the importance of persevering. Indeed, some iteration of the word hope appears nearly 100 times in the book, yet the result is never treacly; facing the life issues examined here in an unforgiving if beautifully rendered wilderness is no easy feat. VERDICT Highly recommended, whether you want literate thrills or thoughtful, affirming meditation.--Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
- premium: True
- source:
- content:
January 15, 2021
Two boys involved in a shooting flee into the Wisconsin north woods and build a raft to escape down a raging river. Rural Wisconsin in the mid-1990s is the setting for Graff's memorable story of loss, violence, adventure, and redemption. Ten-year-old Fischer "Fish" Branson, spending the summer on his grandfather's farm, knows his friend Bread has too many bruises. When he witnesses Bread's father beating the boy, Fish reaches for the man's gun and fires it. In the shooting's aftermath, the boys flee into the great north woods and build a raft so they can ride the river and escape the adult world. But Fish hasn't told Bread the truth about their final destination. Their pursuers are trying to outrun their own sorrows, too: Teddy, Fish's grandfather, a stoic Korean War veteran; Cal, the town sheriff, who doesn't want to be sheriff anymore; Miranda, Fish's wilderness-savvy mother, who has suffered her own losses; and Tiffany, a purple-haired free spirit who works at a gas station, secretly longs for Cal, and writes poetry in her spare time. Awaiting them all are dangerous rapids no raft can survive. The action sequences are exciting, though the reader has to overlook a few unlikely scenarios and coincidences to follow this journey (why would Cal, who has no experience in the Wisconsin woods, take off on horseback without attempting to organize a larger, more efficient search party?). Still, Graff's characters have heart to spare, and his affection for this rugged part of the country is infectious. His coming-of-age story offers us nostalgia and escape, and he reminds us that while freedom can be elusive, the people who love you always make your life worth living. A nostalgic coming-of-age story that plays out in a wild, intriguing setting.COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- premium: True
- source:
- content:
November 1, 2020
Even in the early nineties, kids in the sprawling, rundown small town of Claypot, Wisconsin, tended to run amok. Ten-year-olds Fischer and Dale, nicknamed Fish and Bread, could have traveled back in time a few decades and found themselves in a familiar setting. The two became fast friends when Fish moved to Claypot, and they bonded over learning to shoot, riding their bikes all over town, and planning elaborate adventures. When a tragedy forces the boys to embark on a real adventure in the deep Wisconsin forest, the world outside Claypot feels undeniably cruel and unthinkably large. Meanwhile, the residents of Claypot form a search party, forging unexpected relationships along the way. Reminiscent of stories like Stand By Me and Have You Seen Luis Velez?, Graff's debut novel will enchant fans of Chris Cleave and Melissa Bank. Graff's narrative voice is lyrical, with a Southern Gothic edge that fits surprisingly well with the Wisconsin Northwoods setting. Exploring the necessity of the stories we tell ourselves to survive, Raft of Stars is a clever, compelling coming-of-age tale.COPYRIGHT(2020) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
- popularity
- 911
- links
- self:
- href: https://api.overdrive.com/v1/collections/v1L1BWwAAAA2I/products/6ee0004b-fc45-4012-8c9b-bf1215e46ccf/metadata
- type: application/vnd.overdrive.api+json
- self:
- id
- 6ee0004b-fc45-4012-8c9b-bf1215e46ccf
- starRating
- 3.3
- images
- cover:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/0293-1/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img100.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- thumbnail:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/0293-1/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img200.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- cover150Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/0293-1/6EE/000/4B/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img150.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- cover300Wide:
- href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/0293-1/6EE/000/4B/{6EE0004B-FC45-4012-8C9B-BF1215E46CCF}Img400.jpg
- type: image/jpeg
- cover:
- isPublicPerformanceAllowed
- False
- languages
- code: en
- name: English
- subjects
- value: Fiction
- value: Literature
- publishDateText
- 03/23/2021
- otherFormatIdentifiers
- type: ISBN
- value: 9780063031906
- mediaType
- Audiobook
- shortDescription
"A rousing adventure yarn full of danger and heart and humor." —Richard Russo
An instant classic for fans of Jane Smiley and Kitchens of the Great Midwest: when two hardscrabble young boys think they've committed a crime, they flee into the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Will the adults trying to find and protect them reach them before it's too late?
It's the summer of 1994 in Claypot, Wisconsin, and the lives of ten-year-old Fischer "Fish" Branson and Dale "Bread" Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don't talk about.
One night, tired of seeing his best friend bruised and terrorized by his no-good dad, Fish takes action. A gunshot rings out and the two boys flee the scene, believing themselves murderers. They head for the woods, where they find their way onto a raft, but the natural terrors of Ironsforge gorge threaten to overwhelm them.
Four adults track them into the forest, each one on a journey of his or her...
- sortTitle
- Raft of Stars A Novel
- crossRefId
- 5558973
- subtitle
- A Novel
- publisher
- HarperAudio
- bisacCodes
- code: FIC019000
- description: Fiction / Literary
- code: FIC043000
- description: Fiction / Coming of Age
- code: FIC066000
- description: Fiction / Small Town & Rural
