How It Feels to Be a Boat

May 29, 2017
Kwan (Dear Yeti) explores themes of weathering the unexpected and pushing on anyway in an allegorical story that excitedly informs readers, “You are a boat. Ahoy! Ahoy!” Though children may be at the helm of their vessels, the sailing isn’t always smooth. Rather than bring in an obvious storm metaphor, Kwan digs into internal conflicts, personified by the passengers occupying the “belly-rooms” of the boat: a cross-section reveals a busy baker, a brass band playing “your favorite doot-doot tune,” an octopus, superhero, and others. Sometimes they fight: “When they yell your belly aches, your heart shrinks, and your rooms shiver. You are strong, but sometimes you tremble.” After a crash leaves the boat in pieces, the passengers join forces to rebuild it and mend its broken “furnace-heart.” In shadowy mixed-media images, Kwan creates a cozy hybrid tugboat-paddleboat that feels distinctly kidlike in its proportions—its very quirkiness, along with its eccentric inhabitants, quietly suggests that we’re all a bit wonky and weird on the inside. A sophisticated allegory for the curveballs life lobs and the way we respond, it’s tailor-made for family conversations. Ages 4–7. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from May 1, 2017
Using the metaphor of a boat on a journey, this second-person story celebrates the richness and possibility of living. A little boat ("You are a boat") sets off on its journey. Inside its "belly-rooms" are its quirky inhabitants--personifications of the feelings, sensations, and potentials found in us all. There is (among others) the Chef, a white person in a toque who cooks up "sweet doughy smell[s]," the Big Brass Band who plays a "doot-doot tune," Daniel, a boy who appears to be Asian and sings "lee lee lee doo," and a gadget-loving Octopus. And what happens when they don't get along? Well, the little boat crashes--shown in an effective wordless spread. But remember, author/illustrator Kwan tells readers in his second-person narration, "you are strong, and piece by crooked piece you are made." The little boat is repaired by its inhabitants and continues: "You are crooked but you are strong. / You are a boat. / Ahoy, Ahoy!" This poignant yet lighthearted affirmation asserts the uniqueness of each individual and reassures readers that while life is complex, sometimes messy, and even occasionally catastrophic, it is all part of the journey. While the topic may seem a bit mature or daunting for very young readers, the story has such quirky sparkle that even if readers don't quite get its meaning, they will be delighted with its sense of playfulness. (Picture book. 3-8)

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