Little Tug

by Stephen A. Savage

Little Tug may not be very tall or very fast, but when the big ships in the harbor need help, they know they can count on him to be there with a push, a pull, and a ride to safety. But what happens when Little Tug gets tired?
 
This simple, endearing book with a charming retro feel and an emotional punch is the first book for Roaring Brook Press by the acclaimed author of Polar Bear Night (New York Times Best Illustrated book) and Where's Walrus?

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

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 2, 2012

About the author

Brooklyn-based Stephen Savage is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of 15 books for children. He is the recipient of a New York Times Best Illustrated Book award, a Sendak Fellowship, and a Geisel Honor.

Reviews

[Emily Carlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun short story to read aloud, about the little tugboat named Little Tug.

[Chinook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story, lovely artwork. I liked the blues.

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Tug may not be the tallest, fastest, or biggest ship in the harbor, but when the taller, faster, bigger ships are in a bind, it’s Little Tug who lends a hand pushing, pulling, and guiding. At the end of the day when Little Tug is all worn out the other ships tuck him in, sing him a lullaby, and give him hugs.

The brief, repetitive text of this charming book makes it a wonderful choice for a baby or toddler storytime. Although the plot is simple and lacks a major conflict, small readers will identify with Little Tug, who works so hard to be helpful despite his size. The illustrations use bold shapes and glowing colors to bring the boats to life. I especially love the many ways Savage plays with the water to create visual interest. Sometimes the water is choppy, other times it smoothly reflects the outlines of the boats. Additionally, the water is a variety of colors. It reflects the pink of a glorious sunset, the white of big puffy clouds, and at night it glows blue-purple.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Tug is a charming character but the ending is bit too syrupy.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love Steven savage books. They are perfect for the littlest readers. Little Tug is a simple story about a tugboat. He isn’t the biggest, fastest, or tallest ship on the harbor. But he still does many important jobs. Finally, all the ships return the favor by helping with Little Tug’s bedtime routine. The book overall is very calming and has a nice rhythm to it. It is short so ideal for reading with ages two and under at bedtime.
The illustrations are also nice for young children. There is a limited, mostly primary/black and white color theme. Lines and shapes are strongly represented in the illustrations as well.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, though not great for storytime. Would be nice for one-on-one sharing, with Savage's usual bold, clear illustrations.

[Michelle Farella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations!

[Eliot Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Tug is the cutest and best little helper, but even he, needs assistance sometimes, especially when it’s time to go to sleep.

[Milton Louie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humanized what a tugboat does. B

[Shannon Weeden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book about the importance of the little boats read at the Children's Museum.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series of books. They are simple, sweet and illustrated nicely.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute enough

[Beanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick read, almost too simple. Wasn't enough variety to keep a 2 year old's attention.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little tugboat is not the fastest or the biggest. But Tug is the one who gets called when the fastest and biggest get stuck.

[Nicole Stanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect read for the littlest of readers! Not my favorite ending. Beautiful pictures.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book with boats? Yeah, Rowan's here for it.

[Cori Thonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming, adorable tale that I’ve loved since my toddler days. I love that I’ve now been able to expose it to my own children!

[Y.Poston]

cute exploration of what a tug does

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Toddler and preschool

[Susanna L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book! Even if you are littler or slower than the people around you, you are still good at doing what you are meant to do!

[TJE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about different boats, lots of personification which makes it very accessible for 2-3 year olds

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Tug is very cute. He gives help but receives help sometimes too 🚤

[Joella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Tug is not as fast as a speed boat. Not as tall as a sailboat. Not as big as an ocean liner. However, Little Tug does have an important job. And when all the other fast, tall, or big boats need help Little Tug is there! In turn, when Little Tug needs help getting to sleep and is tired, the other boats are more than happy to help Little Tug in turn.

This cute picture book is full of boats. The colors various shades of blue with a touch of red, black, and white helps to punctuate the nautical theme as well as the night time conclusion. There is a short sentence on each page. This helps to keep toddlers and younger preschoolers interested without trying their attention span. And those youngsters who are always looking for more transportation favorites will be well pleased with this offering. Plus, Little Tug is one that might become as well-loved as another railway transportation character. Hopefully there will be more to come from Little Tug!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Tug by Stephen Savage is the simple story of a small tugboat who helps ships in the harbor, and what happens when the tug gets tired.

Savage's simple, retro illustrations are the star of this book. My favorite images are verso, tallest, fastest, biggest, still, pulls, pushes and guides.

The short, 50 word text with a large font could be read by beginning readers, and work for toddler or preschool read-alouds. For some the ending may be a bit sweet, but for the target audience it should be endearing. 3.5 stars.

For ages 1.5 to 3.5, transportation, boats, ships, harbors, friends, and fans of Stephen Savage.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I work diligently to read loads of book reviews and know what is coming out next, I had never seen or heard of this book when I arrived at the RI Festival of Children's Books & Authors on October 13, 2012. I was lucky enough to hear the author speak. Stephen Savagegave a great talk because he showed the cover of a book he read as a child,The Whales Go Bywhich was neat. Savage is known more for his illustrations on the op-ed pages of the NY Times and book review. He has created many forms of beautiful art.

[Marika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fall, Little Tug will join the ranks of beloved vehicular characters like Thomas the Tank Engine, the Little Engine That Could, and Otis the Tractor. Stephen Savage follows up Where's Walrus with a certain classic. Little Tug may not be the biggest, the fastest, or the tallest, but when other boats need assistance, Little Tug is there to help. Stephen's bold shapes and a limited palettes are reminiscent of art deco travel posters, each illustration worthy of hanging on a child's wall. Now, can Little Tug please have his own series?

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story for ECE readers. What is a tugboat? Well, it may not be the biggest or fastest boat in the harbor, but it has a very important job. And even though he is different from the other boats, they all love him and are happy that he’s around. It’s a wonderful metaphor for accepting those who are different from us--everyone needs help sometimes, and if we are kind to one another, then help will always be there when we need it.

The graphics are lovely and large, making this a great book for Read Aloud.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome to water transportation! Lots of different ships rule the harbor, but tug boat is one of the most important ships in the water.

Little Tug mixes themes of transportation, comparisons, and a day in the life of a tug boat. It's a quick little tale, perfect for young readers. The illustrations have a retro feel to them that is fun and inviting.

2023 storytime theme: Pool - Boats

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at Pajama Story Time on 12/12/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

Read at Toddler Lap Time on 1/24/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

Read at Toddler Lap Time on 1/25/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

Read at daycare visits on 6/26/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a tugboat and his unique skills. He may not be the biggest or the fastest, but all the ships depend on each other at one time or another. Illustrations have an old-timey feel and bring to mind the artwork in the older titles in the Golden Book family. The boats are all illustrated with faces which I think will appeal to fans of Thomas the Tank Engine. The simple text and the big, bold clear artwork would also appeal to Donald Crews fans.