In a recent posting on the PUBYAC listserv, there was a discussion of books and activities appropriate for a storytime about boats. There were many suggestions, but here is a summary of the most popular responses:

Crafts:
Folded (origami) boats
Boat paper collages
Sailor (newspaper) hats

Songs:
"Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
"Five Little Sailboats" (fingerplay)
"A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea" (jump rope rhyme)
"My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"
"Rub a Dub Dub, Three Men in a Tub"

Books:

• Burningham, John. MR. GUMPY'S OUTING.
  This one is essential! Kids can join in with the various animal sounds, or they can act out the story, where each animal gets into Mr. Gumpy's boat.
• Shaw, Nancy. SHEEP IN A SHIP.
  A storm causes havoc with the sheep's ship voyage in this hilarious, tongue-twisting story.
• Rockwell, Anne. BOATS.
  A simple nonfiction presentation of the various types of boats and ships and their uses.
• Crews, Donald. SAIL AWAY and HARBOR.
  Two of Crews' signature transportation books - very simple with strikingly saturated colors.
• Samton, Sheila. JENNY'S JOURNEY.
  Jenny imagines sailing to her friend Maria who lives across the ocean.
• Litowinsky, Olga. BOATS FOR BEDTIME.
  While falling asleep, a child dreams of all types of boats.
• Sis, Peter. SHIP AHOY!
  A simple, toddler-friendly story of a boy who play-acts that the sofa is a boat.
• Lear, Edward. THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT.
  The classic story, available with either Paul Galdone's or James Marshall's illustrations.
• Holabird, Katharine. ALEXANDER AND THE MAGIC BOAT.
  Alexander uses his imagination to go on a boat ride.
• Ginsburg, Mirra. FOUR BRAVE SAILORS.
  These sailors are mice, and their journey is down the drain!
• McPhail, David. PIGS AHOY!
  McPhail's exuberant pigs take over the ship.
• Lindgren, Astrid. THE WILD BABY GOES TO SEA.
  This baby needs no help when he takes over the sailing duties.

October 2001