School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Don't judge a boat by its size. This sturdy tugboat shines in its service to others, assisting a cargo ship and a barge and providing support for people working on the mighty seas. While some phrases are fairly nondescript, other examples drive home the tugboat's importance with a powerful punch. "A tugboat is small, but its engine is strong." A clear glossary defines terms found in the succinct narrative, such as "barge" and "port," while a brief concluding note about the Willis Avenue Bridge adds a few details to the text. A table of contents page seems unnecessary for the brief story line; "At the Dock" is listed as an entry, though the entire section reads, "The day begins. The tugboat rests at the dock." Though the beginning and ending suggest the passing of time, middle scenes focus on a variety of weather conditions. The tugboat struggles in a snowstorm on one spread and then assists a cruise ship carrying passengers to their sunny vacation. Artwork created with graphite pencil and digital tools adds a hazy glow and plays with perspective as the little boat bobs on the vast ocean. This title is a strong read-aloud for those looking to add transportation books to their collections.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Garland (the Miss Smith series) demonstrates the all-weather feats of a New York City tug in this concise addition to the tugboat-themed bookshelf. Unlike the heroes of Little Toot or Scuffy the Tugboat, Garland's tugboat is only lightly personified in the text-"The little boat is ready to do big jobs"-and is portrayed realistically in his digitally assembled illustrations, with a bright red cabin and the name Hudson emblazoned on its side. As the book progresses, Garland delineates the many important jobs of a tug, including pushing a stately cruise ship filled with vacationers, pulling a schooner past the Statue of Liberty during a parade of tall ships, and moving a fireworks barge into place for a Fourth of July celebration. Less glamorous work includes guiding a tanker in a snowstorm and pulling a coal barge and a barge filled with garbage ("Hold your nose!"). The clipped yet informative text plays a backup role to Garland's often dramatic illustrations, which highlight the tugboat's diminutive size compared to the massive ships it assists, hitting home the idea that small can be mighty. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
