Customer Reviews

The Boats on the River

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

How bizarre that anyone can object to the warship! Rip the page out, get another book. Please remember when this book was written. As a child in New York City in the 40s and early 50s, I had the opportunity to tour a number of WARSHIPS (including a submarine) because they were ON THE RIVER and were occasionally open to the public.
I never saw a warship, or any other ship, at the Central Park Zoo, but giggled about the possibility.
Relax and enjoy. Oh, yes, I marched against the war in Vietnam, and am mortified by our actions in Iraq. But I still will read BOATS ON THE RIVER to my future grandchildren and not just because the little boy on the title page was my childhood playmate in Greenwich Village.

In The Boats on the River, Marjorie Flack captures a day's snapshot of the commerce, play and work that takes place through the different boats' activity on a great river: ferryboat, riverboat, tugboat, ocean liner, sailboat, motorboat, submarine, freightboat, and warship. Her old-fashioned pictures are very well drawn, earning the book a Caldecott Honor in 1946, and her detail-rich text is rhythmic and enjoyable. This is a perfect book for young listeners just transitioning out of nursery rhymes into more complex stories, and an outstanding choice for any child interested in boats.

Come on folks -- I think you are taking this political correctness thing a little overboard (pun intended). You need to think "age appropriate". The reading level for this book is ages 4 to 8 so (surprise, suprise)it might not be age appropriate for a two year old.

On the other hand, I would have no problems telling a child of any age a warship and the people on it are there to keep us safe from people who would want to hurt us. Just like the police officer, the fire department, and even your mommie and daddy who keep you safe too.

Lets be real -- kids love watching ships on the water and this book is just about what you might see there.

We love this book. The illustrations are classic. The text is very soothing, and reads like the waves of the river, the river that flows by the city to the sea.

My daughter made me read this book again and again. And again. Like another reviewer, I feel uncomfortable with the warships in a book for such young children. That being said, the text in this book has a wonderful cadence that makes it a joy to read. And my daughter now knows about all sorts of different boats and how they go.

This is a very nice book with lovely pictures, and nice words. My 2 year old son loves it, and the boats. HOWEVER, there is a picture of a warship, and I'm not sure how to explain this to a toddler. Without that, I'd give it 4 stars.