Tugga-Tugga Tugboat [Hardcover]

Kevin Lewis (Author), Daniel Kirk (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

Cast off! . . . anchors aweigh.

Popular collaborators Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk have teamed up again to create the perfect read-aloud for bath time or any time. The book brings to life tugboats, tankers, cargo, and more, with a lyrical, repetitive refrain and bold, colorful art.

Toot! Toot!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K–In a book similar to their Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo (Hyperion, 1999), Lewis and Kirk combine rhythmic text, descriptive language, and colorful pseudo-realistic artwork to depict the adventures of a toy tugboat. From early morning (Cast off!/Anchors aweigh./Aye, aye, Captain./Busy day!) to evening (Day is over. Moon shines bright./Engine rumbles through the night), the hardworking vessel scoots, splashes, pushes, and pulls through a busy day. Youngsters will appreciate the rhyming text and quickly learn the refrain, which changes slightly with each verse. Illustrations in bright primary colors and geometrical shapes match the playful verse. The toylike quality of the boats, cargo, and crew becomes more apparent with each page, so it is no surprise when the bathtub setting is revealed. In the end, a smiling, freshly washed, pajama-clad youngster is taken off to bed, while his still-dripping playthings rest contentedly at tubs edge. The simplicity of both narrative and pictures makes this story a strong choice for children.–Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH
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About the Author

Daniel Kirk is the author and illustrator of several books for children, including his ownGo!; Snow Family;andHush, Little Alien.He is the illustrator ofTugga-Tugga Tugboat, My Truck is Stuck!andChugga-Chugga Choo-Choo.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (September 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786856157
• ISBN-13: 978-0786856152
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 12 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #303,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Children's Books > Transportation > Boats & Ships

More About the Author

Kevin Lewis is the author of My Truck Is Stuck!, The Lot at the End of My Block, and Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo. He is a children'Â’s book editor and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good, May 25, 2007

By 

M. Tomson "Children's Book Lover" (Salem, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tugga-Tugga Tugboat (Hardcover)

Not as good as chugga chugga choo choo, which both of my kids love. The pictures are just as good, but the text is not as dynamic.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My one year old son's favorite, by far!, June 9, 2009

By 

K. Wylie - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tugga-Tugga Tugboat (Board book)

We lOVE this book! We haven't read the other Lewis/Kirk books, so don't have them to compare, but on its own this book has been an all time favorite in our house! Tugga tugga tug boat, push and pull and float boat...I think I have all of the words memorized! The words are simple and very appropriate for toddlers. I just wish it came in board book form so I could let my one year old look at the book without my close supervision. So, if some say this book isn't nearly as good as the other Lewis/Kirk books, then we look forward to reading those as well!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my son's favorites, May 31, 2009

By 

A. Germain - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tugga-Tugga Tugboat (Hardcover)

I am dismayed to see that this book does not have a 5-star average rating on amazon. This is one of my one-year-old son's absolute favorites - the story is darling (for me, even more endearing than the better-known "Chugga Chugga Choo Choo" by the same author). The book follows a heroic little tugboat as it goes about its daily tasks - moving barges, hauling cargo, etc. Slowly, as you proceed through the story, rubber ducks and bars of soap start appearing among the more realistic maritime imagery. In the end, it turns out the tugboat is a beloved bath toy of a little boy who returns to play with it night after night in the tub.

I love these books by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk. They perfectly capture the incredible power of young imaginations and the sincere joy found in childhood play. Young readers will love the beautiful colorful images and the repetitive sounds ("toot-toot" and "scoot-scoot"). And most adults will find this book very well-written and easy-to-read and will find the story incredibly touching.