"Far from home, the old boat was cold
and lonely
and lost.
On a small island, a new sailor turned the tide."
I bought this book because I loved The Old Truck (Norton, 2020). I am so happy that I did; it is another wonderful choice for young readers. It tells the story of a boat's life in a family that loves nature and fishing. The boy eagerly watches while the adult drops a lure into the water. Time spent on the boat together is happy. In shallow water, the boy is aware of the garbage being left on the shore. They travel further from shore.
As each page is turned, readers will note that the two grow older. Observant readers will see the buildings on the island multiply. The enjoyment of being in deep water together fills the boaters with joy, and provides food. They glory in the sea life that surrounds them ... fish, jellyfish, a whale, rays and dolphins.
The boy becomes a man, fishing alone. Fish are less plentiful, garbage is more evident, and he must travel further and further from home. Following a storm, he is washed ashore. The overturned, sunken boat lies in the shallows with an ever-growing glut of trash. It is a moment that 'turns the tide' for the fisherman. He begins, with others, to clean up the shallows before moving out into deep water and doing the same there. The hard work leaves the boat where it landed in clear water. There, it becomes home to new sea life.
The final spread shows the man, perhaps now a grandfather, fishing from shore with a small child.
The illustrations, created using hundreds of stamps and done in earthy tones, carry the story quietly from start to finish. This is a compelling tale of family, love of the sea, changes in the environment over time, and the power that humans have to make real differences to what is happening in their world.
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