To the Stars and Beyond: My Virtual Bookshelf

Busy Boats

Author: Tony Mitton

Illustrator: Ant Parker

Published: In 2005 by Kingfisher

ISBN: 978-0753459164

Synopsis:

Busy Boats is an enjoyable way to introduce your child to the characteristics of many types of ships.

Boats

Are discussed

Some with motors,

Some with only sails,

Some that simply float

Some the size of whales

Not only does it illustrate

These many types of ships;

it also tells of how their used and where they take their trips.

It's prefect for the one who dreams of sailing out to sea,

or for the child who's never chanced to step beyond the trees.

With bright pictures and enchanting rhyme,

you'll want to read it one more time.

So go ahead and take a peak

at this charming, book.

It's quite unique.

My Reaction:

If you want in depth information about ships this book is definitely not for you. However, if you're looking for a basic information about the different parts of a ship, how a ship works and what the different types of ships are used for you've found a good place to start. Busy Boats does an excellent job of providing basic facts in a memorable way. For instance, Mitton uses the rhyme

"A boat sits on the water
like an empty bowl or cup.
It's hollow and it's full of air
and that's what keeps it up,"

to help explain to young children how boats are able to stay a float on top of the water. The clear rhythm and fun rhymes will increase the likelihood of children revisit the book and therefore the information multiple times. The increased exposure will help children retain the information they encounter.
The illustrations in the book also help make the information more salient, because each individual illustration focuses on a separate type of boat; for example when the author discusses fishing boats the illustration only includes depictions of fishing boats. By organizing the book so that each page deals with one type of ship, the author and illustrator highlight the differences between each boat.
All in all, I think this is a wonderfully designed book for very young children. It is well researched, seeing as the National maritime Museum in Greenwich, England helped develop the book, but it does not overwhelm readers with complicated or unnecessary facts. It also includes a short picture dictionary at the end of the book to further explain the different parts of a ship, such as the anchor, propellers and oars, for any child who wants more detailed information. Busy Boats is an endearing little information book that is joy to read.