Grumble Boats by Susannah McFarlane illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie

Emma is not allowed to go to a pirate party with her older brother. Mum and dad drop her off at Grandma's house. Emma is furious. Luckily Grandma is very wise and patient and she has a terrific trick up her sleeve. She grabs her coat (her pockets are bulging with things - you can see this on the cover) and she takes Emma and her dog Bella and they head to the beach. It is a cold day but the sun is shining. 

Grandma explains she is grumpy too because her favourite tea cup broke that morning. Grandma has some paper and texta (marker) pens. She shows Emma how to draw grumbles. They both scribble on their paper until ...

"Emma stopped drawing. She looked at her paper and smiled"

But they are not finished. Grandma shows Emma how to fold her paper into a small boat - a grumble boat. They launch their boats into the ocean and watch them float away. Then, as in all good books, they head home for a warm drink and something delicious to eat.

At the back of this book there are instructions for making paper boats. I love the cover of this book and the way the end papers are different at the front and back. Little Emma has wonderful body language and funny mismatched clothes. Grandma is wise. I love her jeans and desert boots. Her home is filled with pretty cushions and floor rugs emphasising her nurturing personality. 

Grumble Boats was a 2022 CBCA Early Childhood notable title. I remember my friend who is a Teacher-Librarian in a K-2 campus telling me how much she loved this book. She was sure it would be shortlisted but alas it was not. I agree with her - this is a book that should have "made the cut".  The winner and honour books for 2022 were Jetty Jumping, Walk of the Whales and Amira's suitcase.

Other books  illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie. In my Garden is her new book due for publication in August:

The real boat by Marina Aromshtam illustrated by Victoria Semykina

Lyrically told and with illustrations that are arresting and demand exploration for their artistry and technique, this modern fable is a thoroughly rewarding read. Red Reading Hub

Some picture books just astonish me.  I sigh with happiness at the beautiful story and exquisite illustrations we can share with our children.  Books about ocean travel, ships and under sea locations are always popular in my school which is located near a beach.

The Little Boat by Kathy Henderson has been a favourite of mine for a long time and now I have found The Real Boat and together these will make a perfect pair.

"The pond seemed very big and deep to the little boat."

But then he talks with a frog and a duck.

"Real boats sail on the ocean. I want to sail there too ..."

And so the journey begins.  The little origami boat sails along the stream and into a wider stream where he meets an old row boat. The stream joins other streams and eventually the paper boat is in a river.  There he sees a motor boat and a riverboat, a barge and a tug boat.  The tug shows him the way to the harbor where there are passenger liners, container ships and lots of seagulls.  Tall cranes are loading the shipping containers and one even contains two giraffes. He sees a car ferry and a huge passenger liner which "shone like an enchanted city."

After a long day and a long journey the little paper boat falls asleep and so he misses the departure of the ocean liner.  A fish trawler offers to show him the way to the ocean but disaster arrives in the form of a huge thunder storm.  "The paper boat was now completely filled with water, and he had started to sink."  Will the little paper boat ever be found?  Where will this journey end?

Take some time to look at the art of Victoria Semykina - it is wonderful.  She is a Russian illustrator who lives in Italy.  You can see more pages from this book and a little film here.

The Real Boat was originally written in Russian.  It always makes me happy when I see books from around the world making the journey into English and then arriving here in Australia.  This is a longer format picture book which you should explore slowly.  This book would make a beautiful gift for a young boat enthusiast and together you might be inspired to make a sail your own little origami boats.

The small aventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O'Connor

Think of Tom Sawyer with a small dash of  Pippi Longstocking and you have The small adventure of Popeye and Elvis.

I read this book in one sitting.  I picked up this book because I recently watched the movie of How to Steal a dog.  I was keen to read another story by Barbara O'Connor.  I am smiling right now because I am so happy I read this book - it is fabulous.

Popeye lives with grandmother Valma in South Carolina.  Life is dull and boring.

Popeye is so named because he has one good eye and one bad eye - the result of an accident back when he was three. Valma holds onto her fragile sanity by reciting the kings and queens of England in alphabetical order.  She has a lot to contend with.  Popeye's father lives far away, his mother comes and goes and her other son Dooley is unemployed and constantly in trouble with the law.

"Everyday the same
So what if the rain stopped? Popeye thought.
It would still be boring.
It would always be boring in Fayette, South Carolina.
Every day would always be the same.
Popeye was certain about that.
But Popeye was wrong."

One day a large motor home arrives.  It has become bogged in the gloppy red mud and the giant wheels are sunk deep down.

Life has been so dull for Popeye but now the adventures can begin because living in this motor home is the most amazing family including Elvis - the oldest boy.  Popeye and Elvis set out to find adventures.

Valma teaches Popeye a new word each week.  Barbara O'Connor uses these as a story device and she includes a dictionary definition as each word helps Popeye make sense of the excitement that comes from meeting this family and of making a new friend.

"Popeye couldn't help but notice how different Elvis was from all the others. 
Elvis was taciturn
taciturn: adjective; reserved or uncommunicative in speech, staying little
All the others were loquacious
loquacious: adjective; talkative."

There are so many delights in the language of this book.  I adore words like : bajillion, qualm, whoop and dang.

You can watch a brilliant trailer for this book on the author web site.  Here is a comprehensive set of teaching notes.  Here is a detailed review from the School Library Journal which is well worth reading.

There are boats in this book made from Yoo-Hoo milk cartons - see below. I have also included an alternate cover.  This book would be an excellent read-aloud for a middle primary class.