Stickmen's Guide to Watercraft

Starred review from April 1, 2016
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* With plentiful diagrams, concise and clear text, and a lighthearted tone, this entry in the Stickmen's Guides to How Everything Works series is a stellar introduction to watercraft of all kinds. Opening with a brief time line highlighting key moments in the development of boats and ships, this engaging title continues with two-page spreads zeroing in on important components of ships and navigation, such as triangular sails, which help sailors use wind to travel in any direction; nuclear reactor engines on submarines; and the unique construction of deep-sea submersibles. Each well-explained concept is accompanied by attractive, cartoonish, yet detailed illustrations featuring cutaway views of various ships and clear diagrams demonstrating topics such as tacking, ballast, and hovercraft construction. Plenty of labels make the diagrams easy to follow, and the boatload of facts ensures that students will come away with a rich understanding not only of the parts of various types of watercraft but also the fundamental ways they move around. Deeply informative and pleasantly approachable, this is sure to make a splash.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)