I'm Mighty!: A Harbor Picture Book About a Small Tugboat Pulling Big Ships for Kids (Ages 4-8)

I'm ...! - Machines at Work

by Kate McMullan, Jim McMullan (Illustrator)

From Kate and Jim McMullan, the popular creators of I Stink! and I’m Dirty! —now a streaming animated series—comes a raucous tribute to a tireless harbor hero. This time a tugboat proves that even the smallest of us can be MIGHTY! When big ships get to the harbor, they need me! 'Cause I'm MIGHTY! And I can nudge, bump, butt, shove, ram, push, and pull 'em in. You think this tug's too small to pull in ships twenty times his size? Think again! This guy is 100% MIGHTY!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Transport, Storytime, Fiction, Kids

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 23, 2003

About the author

Kate McMullan is an American children's book author.
She is the author of the Dragon Slayers' Academy series. She is married to author and illustrator James McMullan.

She also has books published under the name: Katy Hall.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A day in the life of a tugboat! Neo and I ventured into the harbour life of a tug and how such a small boat can have a massive impact on the waterways. From tugging to bumping and even directing massive boats, tugs get the job done. Neo thought it was cute that a small boat could be bossy to the larger ones. I reminded him that even tugs have daddies... and those boats take no waves from their offspring.

[Michael Lausche · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book about a Tug boat that has a very big job. His job is to make sure that bog boats get to land safely, and goes through many challenges along the way. The style of writing the author chose to do, was one that is "splattered" all over the pages. It can range from telling the reader what all the tug boat needs in order to complete his tasks, to multiple onomatopoeias all over the page. I sort of liked this style, but it could get confusing and jumpy at times. The illustrations for this book were great. They helped the reader get a great visual of the hard tasks the tug boat had on a daily basis, and how he kept happy the entirety of the book. They also contain large ships that the tug boat has to pull. I recommend this book for children ages Kindergarten-1st grade.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost-4-year-old son loves this better than the others in the series. He loves Amazon Prime's Stinky and Dirty Show, but those two books, not so much. However, this book is the exception.

His favorite page:
- the "maze" where Mighty goes through the anchorage.
His favorite lines:
- "Think again!"
- "Butt!" (when pushing ships)
- "Aarrrruuuuga!"

My son isn't particularly interested in boats, but this book is fun for him. We've checked it out from the library a few times now.

[Heather McC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big things come in small packages with McMullan's tugboat. Small but mighty, Tugboat proves that he is boss of the water when he helps his larger friends get where they need to be. Filled with fun boat lingo that kids will love, there's a few boat sounds thrown into the mix that will get readers thinking that they can be tugboats too!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few books I’ve ever read to my kids that I simply can’t properly perform unless I am standing up. I really have to gin up some attitude and energy. This is good for my one year old. Excitement in reading is what captures her imagination.

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was adorable, I liked it a lot more than "I Stink" quite honestly.
I liked that at the beginning they pointed out all the boat parts, I also liked how this book was fairly formula I with each boat the tug boat brought in.
Cute illustrations and a cute story.

[David]

My toddler wanted to read this over and over and over. He was so entertained and loved the picture depicting the overview of the harbor where the Tug Boat worked. I thoroughly enjoyed the cartoon style drawing which reminded me a lot of old time animation like Felix the Cat.

[Sevi Sather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great. Worse than the other books in the series.

[Camille Crist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows readers what determinations looks like and encourages them to be mighty.

[Vera Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little guys can do big things! Connect it with how they can do big things!

[Eileen]

Also known as "the arrogant series" in my house.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

liked it better than her truck books

[Lolo Onda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used this book in a back to school lesson to remind kids how mighty they are! Students enjoyed this book and I loved all of the different vocabulary words we encountered when reading it!

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let's talk about this neat cover. It shows what a tugboat looks like in this colorful illustration. It also shows that they are small and they pull or tug different things. It makes you want to learn more about this boat. This book teaches that it doesn't matter if you are small because you can still be mighty.....

Read more of my review at...
http://lifeofstay-at-homemom.blogspot...

[Gracie Larcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Reaction: I enjoyed reading I'm Mighty. It was a short and simple story with lots of colorful illustrations to go along with the text. The book was a quick and fun read.

Read Aloud: This book is definitely very simple and would be best read to kindergartners. You could use it as an interactive read and have the students "help" you read it.

Independent Read: I'm Mighty is an ideal picture book for beginning readers. The font is very large and the language is very simple. There are only a few words per page, and often times action and description words are used. In combination with the pictures it is very entertaining. It would be a great independent read for students who are starting out in reading and need some practice in basic words.

Literary Elements: The text is set up differently on each page and the font size varies, you could talk to students about this and the effect it has on the overall book.

[Joanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a current favorite in my house-it's about a tug boat. When I saw this it reminded me of Katie and the Big Snow or Mike Mulligan and the Steamshovel-both of which I had read over and over to the kids I babysat so I was dreading this one a bit- but it's not like that. It's cute (and short-sometimes a bonus!) and my son loves the way it's written and he laughs every time we read it. Plus the message is great, this tiny little tug can do really big things. Definitely a keeper.

[Janet C-B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this with a little girl beginning reader. She liked the story and the illustrations. I thought the illustrations were quite good as well as the message. The words were a bit difficult to handle, because of the use of slang ('em instead of them), and expressions that are not in common use. The biggest problem that I had was that the book was about a tugboat, and the word tugboat was never once used in the book. I thought that was odd. Overall enjoyable, but probably more appropriate as a Read Aloud to be read to a young child.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library this week. We thought it would be better from the cover illustration.

Um, this book should have been so much better than it was. The illustrations were fine -- quirky and quite funny. The story itself was fine. But the text was incredibly dry for a boat about a tugboat. Instead of using interesting and engaging words, the designer tried to do interesting and engaging things with the letters of the text themselves. This was kind of annoying and didn't cover up any shortcomings.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Stink! will always be my favorite by this husband/wife team. If I hadn't seen it first I might have liked this one more. But it's not as funny as that one.

This one was OK. But it didn't live up to ... what was the name of that little tugboat one ... it was a Little Golden Book. I think I liked that one better.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of the McMullans. I bought several of their books for my sons. This was also a huge hit in my Story Time. It is very appropriate for children showing a tug boat who brings in huge ships, despite his small size. I also enjoy all the fonts, the tug's attitude, introduction to boat parts and the vocabulary. 7/29/14

Really seemed to catch the day care's class of 3 year olds' attention

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m Mighty is a book about confidence and perseverance. Even when the others don’t think he can do it, Tug pulls through and gets the job done.
This book would be a great read aloud book for Kindergartners with many sight words they could pick out. The teacher/reader could bring the book to life with all the sound effects available.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mighty little tugboat gives us a tour of his day. Kids interested in boats or in powerful machines at all will like this. For the parent, the repetition of "think I can't?! think again!" boastful language may pall, but the rhymes are good, the sequence correct, and the illustrations captivating. I think my son preferred "I'm Dirty!" and "I Stink!" but to each their own.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decidedly weaker edition in the Kate McMullan "I'm ______" series of books. I Stink, I'm Dirty and I'm Brave are head and shoulders above this kind-of-slow book about a tugboat. Illustration style remains consistently fun and engaging, though! Recommended only for toddlers who are huge boat fans, or for completists of the "I'm _____" series.

[The Book Box]

Re-read February 2019: Mama checked this out again because it had been so long since we read it!

Originally read 10/23/16: Mama read this to me the other night. We've read Kate McMullan's I STINK! before, but after seeing the Stinky and Dirty show on Amazon, I wanted to read them all again. I liked seeing Tug in the book after seeing the show!

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't as good as its predecessor, I Stink, but it's hard to live up to that!

I will note that people who dislike the attitude of the garbage truck in I Stink will prefer this book - the tugboat is proud but not boastful, and altogether sweet and charming. And there's no puppy poo!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My two and half year old LOVES this book! But then he loves all the books in Kate and Jim McMullan's I'm series. He got this one for Christmas and makes me read it (along with I Stink and I'm Dirty) every night. He loves counting the boats, and saying parts of the story out loud.

[Bailee Morillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great It has a feel of "The Little Engine that Could" but it is still different. It could be used in a lesson about how little things can accomplish big things, or just a lesson in tug boats and what they do. It's fun, exciting, and short!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is McKay's favorite book ever! He loves reading this over and over again. Its great and let's you know even though you are small you can do it!!

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good one for little boys...by same author as 'I Stink'.

[kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

We like this book. Lets say "self-confidence" and "additude" are what this book's about. The cute thing about it, is how the tugboat is so small but can do really big things.