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The Magic Boat
Every summer morning, Ellie and her Nonna go to the beach. They swim and build sandcastles, and while Nonna reads, Ellie watches the other children play.
One day Ellie builds up the courage to approach an older girl playing on her own in a beached rowboat. Piper has a gift, an imagination so great that she whisks Ellie off on grand adventures, going high in the air, deep below the ocean and everywhere in between in their little blue boat, their magic boat. When Piper has to leave, Ellie discovers she has her own vivid imagination.
One day Ellie builds up the courage to approach an older girl playing on her own in a beached rowboat. Piper has a gift, an imagination so great that she whisks Ellie off on grand adventures, going high in the air, deep below the ocean and everywhere in between in their little blue boat, their magic boat. When Piper has to leave, Ellie discovers she has her own vivid imagination.
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
1 person is currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Kit Pearson
34 books282 followersKit Pearson spent her childhood between Edmonton Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia. As a high-school student, she returned to Vancouver to be educated at Crofton House School. She obtained a degree in English Literature at the University of Alberta, and spent several years following the degree doing odd jobs or travelling in Europe.
In 1975, she began her Library degree at the University of British Columbia and took her first jobs in that field in Ontario. She later obtained an M.A. at the Simmons College Center for the Study of Children's Literature in Boston. Returning to Vancouver, she completed her first novel "The Daring Game" which was published by Penguin Books.
Pearson now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, a few blocks from Ross Bay Cemetery, one of the settings in Awake and Dreaming.
In 1975, she began her Library degree at the University of British Columbia and took her first jobs in that field in Ontario. She later obtained an M.A. at the Simmons College Center for the Study of Children's Literature in Boston. Returning to Vancouver, she completed her first novel "The Daring Game" which was published by Penguin Books.
Pearson now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, a few blocks from Ross Bay Cemetery, one of the settings in Awake and Dreaming.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 2, 2019
This is a bit of an odd children's book in two ways.
First, it doesn't just have words that relate to the picture on the page. For example, the page will talk of an octopus, a seal and a fish. Yet the page only shows the octopus. I don't think this is a detriment necessarily; but it is a bit different than usual. Given the topic of the book is to use your imagination perhaps it's appropriate...
Second, it implies that you can only use your imagination when you have a friend/another child to share it with. This is a bit of an odd message in my mind. It says that children need to be playing with another child (as Nona is not enough in the book) in order to have a good time using their imagination. I'm not sure how I feel about this message given that there are many children that play on their own.
Author, Kit Pearson, is a very well known Canadian children's/middle grade writer. In fact the first WWII book I read in Grade 3 was written by her (kicking off my love for historical fiction). The Magic Boat is also illustrated by other Canadians; yet the setting could be any beach, anywhere in the world; whether it's near a lake, ocean or sea.
It's also a good book to show that any child of any race can play with one another. This is fairly standard in Canada these days. Canadians are more likely to be upset about a lack of diversity these days than 'upset' by it. Therefore it's very appropriate that our children are of different racial backgrounds; and that we have a boy/girl friendship at the end. These are subtle things that children will not notice; but that help reinforce the lack of noticing we are trying to instill in the younger generation.
Overall I think this is an okay book. I've given it 3.5 stars (and have rounded up to 4) as I like the idea of the story. But one star comes off because of the weird idea that you have to have a friend or another child in order to have imagination fun.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
First, it doesn't just have words that relate to the picture on the page. For example, the page will talk of an octopus, a seal and a fish. Yet the page only shows the octopus. I don't think this is a detriment necessarily; but it is a bit different than usual. Given the topic of the book is to use your imagination perhaps it's appropriate...
Second, it implies that you can only use your imagination when you have a friend/another child to share it with. This is a bit of an odd message in my mind. It says that children need to be playing with another child (as Nona is not enough in the book) in order to have a good time using their imagination. I'm not sure how I feel about this message given that there are many children that play on their own.
Author, Kit Pearson, is a very well known Canadian children's/middle grade writer. In fact the first WWII book I read in Grade 3 was written by her (kicking off my love for historical fiction). The Magic Boat is also illustrated by other Canadians; yet the setting could be any beach, anywhere in the world; whether it's near a lake, ocean or sea.
It's also a good book to show that any child of any race can play with one another. This is fairly standard in Canada these days. Canadians are more likely to be upset about a lack of diversity these days than 'upset' by it. Therefore it's very appropriate that our children are of different racial backgrounds; and that we have a boy/girl friendship at the end. These are subtle things that children will not notice; but that help reinforce the lack of noticing we are trying to instill in the younger generation.
Overall I think this is an okay book. I've given it 3.5 stars (and have rounded up to 4) as I like the idea of the story. But one star comes off because of the weird idea that you have to have a friend or another child in order to have imagination fun.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
December 22, 2018
Ellie is a shy, quiet girl who is afraid to meet new people. After sitting in the beach while her Nonna reads, she finally decides to take a risk and plays with another child on the beach. They have a wonderful day imagining all sorts of adventures. When Piper is not at the beach the next time Ellie and her Nonna go, she approaches another child to share her imaginative adventures with.
This is a book about friendship, imagination, being shy and taking a risk. The fun things Ellie and Piper do at the beach remind the reader about how easy it is to have a good time when you share it with others as well as when you use your imagination. The illustrations were beautiful and really added to the story. My grandson enjoyed the story and loved talking about the illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard. They were so vivid and fanciful. I think this book could easily become a favourite of his. The publisher, Orca Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
This is a book about friendship, imagination, being shy and taking a risk. The fun things Ellie and Piper do at the beach remind the reader about how easy it is to have a good time when you share it with others as well as when you use your imagination. The illustrations were beautiful and really added to the story. My grandson enjoyed the story and loved talking about the illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard. They were so vivid and fanciful. I think this book could easily become a favourite of his. The publisher, Orca Publishing, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
January 14, 2019
A shy young girl visiting her grandmother gets drawn into adventure when she meets a new friend who opens up new worlds through her own imagination. Who knew that a broken down boat could be a vessel that could transport one on adventures unknown?
Each day dawns with new possibility as these two new friends discover that imagination has no limits. Explore the magic of their friendship during their time at the beach one summer. The watercolor illustrations are bright, and happy and will draw readers into the pages of this book.
For anyone who has been shy or uncertain, this book is a wonderful glimpse at all the potential fun to be had in meeting new people. The Magic Boat will encourage children of all ages to use their imagination to create their own adventures. Exactly what childhood should be about!
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Magic Boat from NetGalley for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are my own and no other compensation was received.
Each day dawns with new possibility as these two new friends discover that imagination has no limits. Explore the magic of their friendship during their time at the beach one summer. The watercolor illustrations are bright, and happy and will draw readers into the pages of this book.
For anyone who has been shy or uncertain, this book is a wonderful glimpse at all the potential fun to be had in meeting new people. The Magic Boat will encourage children of all ages to use their imagination to create their own adventures. Exactly what childhood should be about!
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Magic Boat from NetGalley for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are my own and no other compensation was received.
July 14, 2019
The Magic Boat is a cute story about imagination, friendship, and having confidence in yourself.
At the beach, Ellie meets a girl named Piper who has a big imagination. Their broken blue rowboat transforms into a sleek sailboat, and then a balloon, and then a submarine. Ellie and Piper have lots of fun imagining all their adventures. But when it's time for Piper to go home, Ellie finds that she can't imagine anything by herself. Luckily, she finds a new friend, and that gives her the push she needs to rekindle the magic.
I really like the West Coast Canadian flavour of this one (not surprising, given that Kit Pearson lives in the area). Although I got a giggle out of Nonna feeding the kids Nanaimo bars for a "snack", I'm not sure if that bit isn't too stereotypically Canadian... even though it's not very accurate. The book makes it sound like Nanaimo bars are a healthy snack like granola bars when, in fact, they're a sticky-sweet dessert. Nonna might as well have been feeding them cake for their "snack"! (Well, that's her call. If she wants to deal with the resulting sugar rush--and subsequent crash--that's her prerogative.)
The illustrations are really sweet and perfectly capture the beach mood. I've encountered this illustrator's work before, in L’été de la petite baleine and in Stolen Words . Her style was a really good choice for this gentle, seaside-themed story.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. Aside from encouraging kids to eat Nanaimo bars as snacks (don't get me wrong... they're yummy; they're just not very healthy), the story is strong and shows how children might get over their creative blocks by sharing their experiences with others.
Quotable moment:
At the beach, Ellie meets a girl named Piper who has a big imagination. Their broken blue rowboat transforms into a sleek sailboat, and then a balloon, and then a submarine. Ellie and Piper have lots of fun imagining all their adventures. But when it's time for Piper to go home, Ellie finds that she can't imagine anything by herself. Luckily, she finds a new friend, and that gives her the push she needs to rekindle the magic.
I really like the West Coast Canadian flavour of this one (not surprising, given that Kit Pearson lives in the area). Although I got a giggle out of Nonna feeding the kids Nanaimo bars for a "snack", I'm not sure if that bit isn't too stereotypically Canadian... even though it's not very accurate. The book makes it sound like Nanaimo bars are a healthy snack like granola bars when, in fact, they're a sticky-sweet dessert. Nonna might as well have been feeding them cake for their "snack"! (Well, that's her call. If she wants to deal with the resulting sugar rush--and subsequent crash--that's her prerogative.)
The illustrations are really sweet and perfectly capture the beach mood. I've encountered this illustrator's work before, in L’été de la petite baleine and in Stolen Words . Her style was a really good choice for this gentle, seaside-themed story.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. Aside from encouraging kids to eat Nanaimo bars as snacks (don't get me wrong... they're yummy; they're just not very healthy), the story is strong and shows how children might get over their creative blocks by sharing their experiences with others.
Quotable moment:
The next morning Ellie sat in the old blue boat all by herself. She tried to sail out to sea. She tried to fly in the air. She tried to sink under the water. But nothing happened.
October 26, 2018
A beautiful story about friendship and the power of imagination! Well done in every part of it!
February 23, 2020
3.5 stars.
This a book that celebrates collective imagination. A young girl makes a new friend who takes her on adventures in ‘a magic boat.’ When her friend leaves, the boat remains a weathered old abandoned rowboat until she makes a new friend. Gabrielle Grimard’s art is absolutely gorgeous. Her scenery under the sea is especially lovely. My only complaint is that many of the pages have too much text in them.
This a book that celebrates collective imagination. A young girl makes a new friend who takes her on adventures in ‘a magic boat.’ When her friend leaves, the boat remains a weathered old abandoned rowboat until she makes a new friend. Gabrielle Grimard’s art is absolutely gorgeous. Her scenery under the sea is especially lovely. My only complaint is that many of the pages have too much text in them.
October 28, 2018
What is imagination? Does everyone have one?
Ellie is bored, and afraid to make friends. One day, she sees a girl in an abandoned, batter board, and asked to come aboard.
Once on board, the friendship and the imagination take them off to the sky, or deep below the water.
Ellie is amazed what the friendship and their joint imagination can do, and manages to take, just a little bit of that, and spread it to others, once this new friend has returned to her winter home.
Georgious pictures. Cute story about friendship and the power of imagination.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Ellie is bored, and afraid to make friends. One day, she sees a girl in an abandoned, batter board, and asked to come aboard.
Once on board, the friendship and the imagination take them off to the sky, or deep below the water.
Ellie is amazed what the friendship and their joint imagination can do, and manages to take, just a little bit of that, and spread it to others, once this new friend has returned to her winter home.
Georgious pictures. Cute story about friendship and the power of imagination.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
October 26, 2018
Pearson and Farris capture the essence of being shy and turn it on its head. Fantastic illustrations by Grimard bring the story to life. Ellie is a shy, quiet girl who is helped out of her shell by Piper and a magic boat. When Piper leaves the beach to return to the city, Ellie thinks the magic is gone. That is, until she meets a boy named Sasha. Very reminiscent of Puff, The Magic Dragon, this story can be read over and over.
March 24, 2019
Grand adventures of the imagination.
March 24, 2019
Imagination is a gift you can pass on...if you're brave enough to make a new friend.
October 31, 2019
The Magic Boat by Kit Pearson and Katherine Farris, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. PICTURE BOOK. Orca Books, 2019. $20. 9781459814325
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Sitting on a beach, a young girl and her grandma enjoy the day. As the days pass, the young girl gets bored but she is too shy to talk to the other kids on the beach. When another girl includes her and they go an imaginary journey on a boat she starts to get the courage to reach beyond her shyness.
I love to see a book with a character who struggles with shyness. The books is not heavy-handed with this character trait, instead focusing on the story of imaginary play, but the message of reaching out past one’s shyness works well.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Sitting on a beach, a young girl and her grandma enjoy the day. As the days pass, the young girl gets bored but she is too shy to talk to the other kids on the beach. When another girl includes her and they go an imaginary journey on a boat she starts to get the courage to reach beyond her shyness.
I love to see a book with a character who struggles with shyness. The books is not heavy-handed with this character trait, instead focusing on the story of imaginary play, but the message of reaching out past one’s shyness works well.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
April 14, 2023
Quel beau livre! Tous les jours, Ellie et sa grand-mère Nonna vont à la plage. Ellie s'amuse en construisant des châteaux de sable et en jouant avec le vareng. Elle aimerait bien jouer avec d'autres enfants, mais elle n'ose pas les aborder... Un jour, une autre fille, assise sur un tronc d'arbre, l'appelle et lui propose de jouer avec elle. S'ensuivent de merveilleuses aventures à bord d'un formidable bateau, d'une montgolfière et d'un sous-marin. Un jour, ce sera au tour d'Ellie d'apprendre à inviter un nouvel ami à jouer.
J'ai trouvé ce livre très beau graphiquement et exceptionnellement bien traduit par Rachel Martinez. Le rythme est fluide, les mots utilisés sont beaux, poétiques, et quoique des fois difficiles, tout à fait appropriés à l'univers marin. Une très belle découverte que je recommenderai chaleureusement!
Je n'ai qu'un seul point à critiquer: à la page 21, le paragraphe s'arrête à "Une grosse loutre remonte rapidement à la surface, la gueule pleine de crabes". Or, il n'y a aucun signe de loutre sur la double page illustrée, ni sur les pages précédentes ou suivantes. J'ai trouvé ça un peu frustrant de ne pas pouvoir voir cette loutre, et préfèrerait ainsi que le paragraphe s'arrête à "...à toute vitesse."
Cela ne m'a néanmois pas empêché de grandement apprécier ce livre.
Thank you NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Read and reviewed: 2018-11-13
J'ai trouvé ce livre très beau graphiquement et exceptionnellement bien traduit par Rachel Martinez. Le rythme est fluide, les mots utilisés sont beaux, poétiques, et quoique des fois difficiles, tout à fait appropriés à l'univers marin. Une très belle découverte que je recommenderai chaleureusement!
Je n'ai qu'un seul point à critiquer: à la page 21, le paragraphe s'arrête à "Une grosse loutre remonte rapidement à la surface, la gueule pleine de crabes". Or, il n'y a aucun signe de loutre sur la double page illustrée, ni sur les pages précédentes ou suivantes. J'ai trouvé ça un peu frustrant de ne pas pouvoir voir cette loutre, et préfèrerait ainsi que le paragraphe s'arrête à "...à toute vitesse."
Cela ne m'a néanmois pas empêché de grandement apprécier ce livre.
Thank you NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Read and reviewed: 2018-11-13
October 31, 2021
I received an electronic ARC from Orca Book Publishers through NetGalley.
Pearson has created an encouraging story for children who may feel shy with others. Readers meet Ellie as she stays by her grandmother rather than playing with other children. Another child invites her to join with adventures on a boat. In reality, this boat has seen better days but when two children combine their imaginations, it becomes an incredible vessel for adventures. After Piper has to go home, Ellie again loses her courage to leave her Nonna's side. Then she sees a young boy who also doesn't seem to be playing with anyone. She introduces him to the magic boat and adventures begin again. Softly colored illustrations bring the text to life for younger readers.
Pearson has created an encouraging story for children who may feel shy with others. Readers meet Ellie as she stays by her grandmother rather than playing with other children. Another child invites her to join with adventures on a boat. In reality, this boat has seen better days but when two children combine their imaginations, it becomes an incredible vessel for adventures. After Piper has to go home, Ellie again loses her courage to leave her Nonna's side. Then she sees a young boy who also doesn't seem to be playing with anyone. She introduces him to the magic boat and adventures begin again. Softly colored illustrations bring the text to life for younger readers.
August 24, 2019
"Where will the magic take you," asks the cover of the book. And inside we find that shy Ellie who is at the beach with her Nonna makes friends with Piper, who takes her for a ride in her Magic Boat. This imaginary boat takes Ellie on sea, under water and in the air. Ellie loves the magic boat and when Piper leaves to go to the city she invites Sasha for a ride in the magic boat. A wonderful picture book with imagination, education, and friendship all brought to you with brilliant writing and pictures.
April 27, 2020
Ellie spends the summer with her nonna (grandmother), and they go to the beach every day. Ellie is too shy to play with the other children there, but one day she meets a girl named Piper who invites her into her magic boat. In that rickety old rowboat imagination takes over and Ellie and Piper spend days having wondrous adventures - always within sight of Nonna. When Piper has to go back to the city, Ellie is lonely and the boat hasn't any magic for her --- until she meets a boy playing alone.
Lovely story with dreamy, beautiful illustrations.
Lovely story with dreamy, beautiful illustrations.
October 3, 2020
This was a nice one. A random library choice based on the cover and being by Kit Pearson, I liked the idea of a kid being too afraid to just go play with other kids (so my kid!) but then coming around when invited into this magic boat situation. Also liked the way she passed the idea on to the next kid, has you thinking of all the kids who would dream in this boat over the years. Nice warm story about exploration and imagination, nothing particularly standout about it but no complaints. My three year old seemed to enjoy it while we were reading it but never asked for it.
July 16, 2022
About making friends? The power of imagination in play? Soft water-color patches and patterns enliven the quiet beach corner where Nonna points out possible playmates to shy Ellie.
Piper shares time in an old grounded rowboat that goes anywhere - up, down, all around. Nanaimo bar snack hints at west coast Canada. But what if Piper ends her vacation before Ellie?
Piper shares time in an old grounded rowboat that goes anywhere - up, down, all around. Nanaimo bar snack hints at west coast Canada. But what if Piper ends her vacation before Ellie?
February 16, 2020
Kait really enjoyed this one because the girl uses her imagination and learns to make new friends. Plus, it gets extra points for mentioning Nanaimo Bars! So Canadian. The illustrations are lovely, plus the use of Nonna, which is commonly used in our town.
November 18, 2023
This was a very nice book about imagination, friendship, and how older kids can help younger kids, which I think is really important. When someone helps you, I think it's important to pay it forward. I loved the imagination the girls had playing on the boat, and the illustrations were wonderful.
November 1, 2018
ARC Copy...gorgeous illustrations and words depicting the shyness of childhood but also all the imagination and wonder that comes with friendship.
December 4, 2018
This was a sweet book about making friends and using your imagination. Would be a great storytime book for children.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2019
A pretty story of friendship and imagination
December 4, 2019
A young child at the beach finds a friend and takes off on a wonderful imaginative journey in a boat. Elementary and up
January 23, 2020
Lovely illustrations and a cute story about how imagining can be better with a friend.
March 4, 2020
Celebration of imagination and play. Lovely illustrations.
June 22, 2020
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one fell short for me. Maybe kids might like it better,
This one fell short for me. Maybe kids might like it better,
July 13, 2022
Holt-Delhi PJ story time 07-13-2022
April 13, 2025
Nice story about imagination and being hesitant at making friends. The French was mostly comfortable but slightly challenging, if I recall correctly.
November 9, 2018
The magic Boat by Kit Pearson and Katherine Farris was a sweet book about overcoming fears of meeting new people and what happens when that fear is overcome. Ellie is shy and to afraid to meet new people but when Piper invites her to join in her magic boat she discovers the fun that can be had with friends and imagination. After Piper returns to the city Ellie has to find the courage to introduce another lonely boy, Sacha, to the magic boat and adventures in imagination.
The illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard are beautiful and remind me of my favorite beach on the coast of GA.
Thank you NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for the chance to read this book in advance. The advance copy was given to me in return for my review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.
The illustrations by Gabrielle Grimard are beautiful and remind me of my favorite beach on the coast of GA.
Thank you NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for the chance to read this book in advance. The advance copy was given to me in return for my review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.
January 3, 2019
What a lovely story of using your imagination to make friends and overcome boredom. A young girl spends days at the beach being too shy to talk to the other children. Then one day she discovers another little girl and her magic boat and suddenly the summer flies by with all kinds of adventures. Wonderful story and gorgeous illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews