If you love adventures
AND
you love picture books.
These books are the perfect blend.
Here are some of my VERY FAVORITE BOAT BOOKS. Old and New.
Get ready to set sail!
OLD WOOD BOAT by Nikki McClure. Published by Candlewick
A dilapidated boat gains a new life and offers a new life in return. Full of beautiful cut-paper illustrations, this lyrical story of adventure is a feast for the eyes. It is also full of meaning and heart. Overall, it is just lovely.
LILY LEADS THE WAY by Margi Preus and Matt Myers. Published by Candlewick
Lily is a really cute sailboat who shares the harbor with much larger boats. She has to learn to use her voice if she is going to be able to get in and out of the harbor through the lift bridge. This book has a very authentic feel infused by the author’s life experiences.
MONSTERS IN THE BRINY by Lynn Becker and Scott Brundage. Published by Sleeping Bear Press
Written to the tune of “What do you do with a drunken sailor?”, each verse talks about a different sea monster. The words line up perfectly with the tune and the illustrations are vivid and fun.
THE MAGGIE B. by Irene Hass. Published by Margaret K McElderry Books
Originally published in 1975, this charming book is about a little girl who longs for an adventure on the sea “with someone nice for company.” In the most whimsical of ways, her wish comes true.
SWASHBY AND THE SEA by Beth Ferry and Juana Martinez-Neal. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
I am a HUGE Beth Ferry fan and this book is right there at the top. Swashby is a salty old sailor, but it is hard to stay tough and cold when a friendly neighbor comes along. Honestly, this book is brilliant.
THE PAPER BOAT by THAO LAM. Published by Owl Kids Books.
Okay, so I am also a big Thao Lam fan. This book is wordless, but vividly conveys feelings associated with her parents’ flee from Vietnam when she was two years old. It is inspirational and touching.
WISHES by Muon Thi Van and Victo Ngai is another refugee story. “If you had to leave everything behind and travel by boat across rocy waters to find safe harbor… What would you wish for.” This story gorgeously offers some of those answers. Honestly, some the most incredible illustrations out there.
I don’t think it is possible to recommend boat books without including the classic, SCUFFY THE TUGBOAT by Gertrude Crampton and Tibor Gergely.
This is the cutest little Golden Book written in 1946 about leaves his home to explore the world, only to discover the place he loves most is home.
