Books

20th Anniversary Edition. A child journeys from her bathtub on an imaginary ocean voyage. Her blue boat sails across the bathtub, into the harbor, between the whales, under the moon and the stars—until it manages to find its way home. A simple tale and light-filled watercolors together create the voyage of every child's dream.

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A girl playing with her toy boat in the bathtub magically sails it out into a harbor, past the fishing fleet, to a playful rendezvous with whales and dolphins. The boat heads back to shore, and a final page shows the girl asleep in bed, a view of the lighthouse and jetty through her window and the toy boat on a shelf above her head. The bold seascapes in watercolor are childlike. —The Horn Book A young girl journeys by way of the bathtub into unfamiliar waters, crosses the sea, and sails back home again. The large, bold type describes the action as she glides over swells, through the channel, and drifts back toward a beacon, giving children an opportunity to learn some new vocabulary. This is an appealing lap book that youngsters may enjoy poring over. The expansive illustrations, done in bright watercolor and india ink, flow with the movement of the simple story line. The paintings display the beauty of an ever-changing sky and sea as they change from dawn to dusk. —School Library Journal Bath time turns maritime in this seafaring saga spawned by a girl's active imagination. On the opening spread, she launches the eponymous craft in the tub; it "catches the wind'' and sails into open waters for an event-filled voyage. Brief, straightforward sentences convey a wealth of action ("I dance with whales, play tag with dolphins, and steer through storms''), adroitly illustrated by Demarest's (My Little Red Car) sprawling, loosely rendered watercolors. Varied perspectives heighten the drama, while subtle variations in blues, greens and purples suggest the ocean's expanse, a star-filled sky, roiling seas and more. The reassuring conclusion finds the child asleep under the covers, her lighthouse-shaped bedside lamp mirroring the genuine article visible through her window. Cozy enough for landlubbers, with sufficient adventure for incipient sailors. —Publishers Weekly