Toy Boat

A little boy and his toy boat enjoy life together, although the boat does sometimes wonder what it would be like to float free on the lake where he and the boy sometimes play. Then a strong breeze carries him away, and he has the chance to experience life in the wild. It turns out that open sailing is rather dangerous for the tiny boat, who is threatened by the massive waves, and almost capsized in the wake of various larger craft. After a night alone, he is happy when chance brings him ashore, and back to his boy...

An engaging picture-book exploration of a common childhood fantasy - the secret lives of our toys, when they are out of our presence - Toy Boat also makes for an exciting seafaring tale. Young children with a taste for show more stories about boats and sailing will enjoy author Randall de Sève's narrative, and will be glad when boy and boat are reunited. Illustrator Loren Long's beautiful artwork, with its vivid colors and adept use of light, captures the wild excitement of the boat's journey. Recommended to young sailboat enthusiasts, to any child who has suspected his toys have lives of their own, and to fellow Loren Long fans. show less

"Toy Boat" combines a friendship lost at sea with a lot of imagination. As a little toy boat encounters the big spread of water and many larger boats it is frightened and feels so small. He feels that all of these big boats will hurt him until a fishing boat helps him get his way back to shore and to his friend. I think this book would be a good for a lesson on how things may seem scary but there is usually something good to come from it. Reading this book as students are preparing to go onto a new grade.

A little boy has a toy boat and it is his favorite toy. The wind pushes the boat into the lake. This is avery cute book as well as realistic. Children must learn toys break and get lost, but we must remember the most important things in life. This is a great book for 1st grade.

A perfect read aloud picture book for ages 2 and up about a little boy who makes a toy boat and protects it from coming loose by keeping it on a string. The relationship between the boy and boat is what you expect to see from a boy and his dog but living so close to a lake it's understandable this boy would want to construct his very own boat. The majority of the story revolves around the adventures the toy boat takes when he becomes loose form the string and is swept up into the ocean. HIs dream of freedom takes an unexpected twist for him but ultimately he returns to the boy having experienced the freedom he longed for.

The story of a boy and his boat. The boat is let go onto the lake and is at first excited to be free and then scared by the bigger boats. As time goes on he becomes lonely and sad. Finally with the help of a fishing boat he returns to the boy.

Classroom connections: The illustrations could be used to discuss mood and setting in a picture book. The story could also be a lesson in unconditional love and that even when it seems like a good idea to be alone and free, it is always nice to come back home again.

This book is a good example of fantasy because it is about a toy boat that gets lost but is given human attributes along with the other boats is meets on the lake.
Media: acrylic

We originally read the full size version from the library and then I picked up the board book for H. Beautifully illustrated by Lauren Long (Otis which we also LOVE) and a nice story too.