The Red Boat

K-Gr 2—When Posy moves to a new home, the neighbors seem strange, her bedroom is filled with shadows, and she wonders, "What if I don't make any new friends?" Posy and her dog, George, discover an old red boat in the garden, and the two of them spend the day playing make-believe games in it. That night, they sneak outside to sit in the boat and look at the stars. Posy is surprised when the vessel begins to float up into the air. They finally set down in a distant land inhabited by scary polar bears. George nudges Posy forward and they are greeted with, "How nice to have visitors!" Before school starts, Posy and George take two more nighttime trips, first to the Moon and then to a large plain populated by wild animals. When the girl walks through the school gate for the first time, she imagines George giving her a nudge, and she bravely steps forward to make new friends. Later, she tells her dog, "I like it here after all." This sweet story about confidence and friendship concludes with a festive surprise party. Pencil and watercolor illustrations move the story along with comical and cozy details. Posy is adorable with her mop of red hair and rosy cheeks, and her smiling, yellow dog, George, will make youngsters laugh. Pair this title with Heather Maisner's We're Moving (Kingfisher, 2004) or Scott Beck's Little House, Little Town (Abrams, 2004).—Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA