A handsome introduction to a variety of oceangoing watercraft for preschool readers.With clear and uncluttered illustrations, 15 watercraft in all are presented: a sailboat, a cargo ship, a fishing boat, an aircraft carrier, a ferry, a submarine, a clipper, an oil tanker, a diving boat, a car-carrier ship, a research vessel, a police boat, and a cruise ship. Each two-page spread presents the boat in question, with its name and some information about it. As a bonus, each vessel also displays a signal flag with an accompanying explanation on the message the flag conveys. The mixed-media artwork has a clean, modern graphic sensibility that is very attractive. The book will likely appeal to a wide age range, with the youngest delighting in naming and identifying, moving on to older children, who will be interested in the information provided; those who have already started to identify letters and understand the rudiments of written communication will be fascinated by yet another coding system in the shape of signal flags. The sturdy board-book format will come in handy, as it will likely be looked at over and over again.What better way for things-that-go enthusiasts to expand their repertoire? (Informational board book. 3-6)

A handsome introduction to a variety of oceangoing watercraft for preschool readers.With clear and uncluttered illustrations, 15 watercraft in all are presented: a sailboat, a cargo ship, a fishing boat, an aircraft carrier, a ferry, a submarine, a clipper, an oil tanker, a diving boat, a car-carrier ship, a research vessel, a police boat, and a cruise ship. Each two-page spread presents the boat in question, with its name and some information about it. As a bonus, each vessel also displays a signal flag with an accompanying explanation on the message the flag conveys. The mixed-media artwork has a clean, modern graphic sensibility that is very attractive. The book will likely appeal to a wide age range, with the youngest delighting in naming and identifying, moving on to older children, who will be interested in the information provided; those who have already started to identify letters and understand the rudiments of written communication will be fascinated by yet another coding system in the shape of signal flags. The sturdy board-book format will come in handy, as it will likely be looked at over and over again.What better way for things-that-go enthusiasts to expand their repertoire? (Informational board book. 3-6)