FICTION

The Old Boat

by Jarrett Pumphrey (text) & illus. by Jerome Pumphrey
Norton. Mar. 2021. 56p. Tr $17.95. ISBN 9781324005179.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2–“Off a small island, an old boat rode the tide.” In minimal text and slowly evolving illustrations readers will experience the passage of time and the wonder of the coastline, open water, and marine life. In a distinctive illustrative style with double-page spreads in a warm and energetic palette the story of generations of fisher-folk is told. The passage of time is rendered effectively page by page and the subtle and not-so-subtle changes will draw inquisitive readers in for closer inspection. While this would make a great companion to the Pumphreys’s much-lauded debut title The Old Truck, this title as a stand-alone will be useful in environmental units and will engage students as they examine the art and notice the impact humans can make, for the positive or the negative, on the environment.
VERDICT A melancholy call to an appreciation of nature and a call to action toward stewardship of the natural world on shore and off.
Reviewed by John Scott, Friends Sch. of Baltimore , Jun 01, 2021

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