Little Boat

by Thomas Docherty

One brave little boat is on a journey to discover the seven seas.

One brave little boat is on a journey to discover the seven seas. Setting off into the big, wide world, Little Boat runs into treacherous waters, turbulent tides, and seafaring friends. After all his nautical adventures, our hero finds out that he’s no longer such a little boat.

Genres: Picture Books, Adventure, Childrens, Storytime, Transport, Nature, Friendship

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Thomas Docherty was born in New Zealand but has spent most of his life in England. He studied metalwork and sculpture and now has a collection of acclaimed picture books. Thomas has been short-listed for a variety of awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009 for Little Boat.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venturing out onto the vast ocean, an independent little boat sails on through stormy seas, past monsters of the deep, through treacherous rocks, until it finally finds its friends. Then the fun really begins...

With the same simple text and exuberant watercolor illustrations that made To the Beach such a joy, Thomas Docherty's Little Boat is sure to captivate young sea-lovers with a yen for adventure. An ever-changing perspective - sometimes we see the little boat from above, sometimes from the side - keeps the reader excited and involved.

[Eva Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has beautifully painted illustrations which support the text well. The author uses a small amount of text but in an effective manner offering the brave endeavours of a little boat. This could be used in a cross curricular manner within English, art and even geography.

[Charlotte Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to review this book as the cover has a picture of a little boat that has been personified with eyes and a smile as the base and because it has a 3D element which I thought would attract children’s attention.
The story starts with little boat all long in a big ocean, although he can drop his anchor and steer his own course he has to navigate though lots of dangers, storms, waves, monsters and treacherous rocks. However, when the little boat finds his friends he is happy to explore the ocean, to the deep and to the top and never wants to stop. Now the little boat has found his friends he realizes that no ocean is too big and that he wants to explore right to the edge of the world and on.
Visually this book is very well illustrated. The pictures on each of the pages are big and demonstrate movement, so as you feel like you are there with the little boat in both the scary and happy times. Also, some of the words are written how they are described i.e. Giant is written gigantic, allowing children to visually see what the words means.
The story and illustrations encourage children to empathise with the little boat. Having good friends means that even when things are scary and daunting you can get through it and go on to conquer the world!

[Iqra Fiaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ocean is a big place for a little boat, but on a journey through the seas, it realises its place on the waters. They no longer become too big for a little boat.

The metaphorical messages within the book allow for every reader to take something different away from the text, depending on their outlook on the overall meaning of the story. For example, the first message I took away was that no matter how much of a challenge something may be, you must persevere and then when you’re able to look back at the struggle to get there, you will feel unstoppable. The second message I took away, when I read it again, was that there is so much to explore in the world that we must not get caught up in our own minds and limitations. Therefore, it could be an interesting book to read with children, with the follow up task of suggesting what the meaning of the books is.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a very simplistic, but beautiful, story line. It is about the adventures a little boat goes on, through huge waves, past sea monsters etc, to find his underwater friends. We then see the little boat playing with whales, octopuses and dolphins. The ending is very lovely by saying that the ocean is not too big for the little boat, and the illustration shows the boat much bigger in the ocean than it was on the first page. A good read for EYFS I'd say.

Children may be able to relate to this story, if they have ever felt really small in the huge world we live in. The message coming from this book is that it doesn't matter if you are small, you still have a place in the world and are important.

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that the author has personified the little boat so that we read the boat as a character we journey with. The framing and layout of the book really captured my imagination as they support the fast paced, risky aspects of the adventure or the calm and safe parts. Whilst it lacks some depth for KS2 readers, I think it does offer scope to discuss the transition of year 6-7 as often we feel like a 'little' boat and actually we are so much more capable than what we first appear.

'because now no ocean is too big... for a little boat like.'

[Abigail Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Boat is written from the boats perspective which I found interesting and unusual as we would never think of what it might be like for a boat. I love the illustrations and the use of colour in this book. The author seems to have really focused on how the text is presented on the page as it is incorporated into the illustrations to almost depict what is happening on the page.

[Annemarie Griffiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, the illustrations in this book is beautifully presented. Some pages are full of colour and others look like magnifying glasses looking down on the little boat as he crossed the big ocean. I think this book resembles alot of confidence, its showed that no matter how small the little boat was he had the confidence to cross that ocean to see his friends.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite its size, a little boat goes across the ocean to find their friends and go on awesome adventures! While something big or new can seem scary, you can do it! An empowering story that would be great for a preschool or kindergarten storytime.

[matteo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a cute little book that I'll probably forget by next week. The illustrations are fine and fun. There's not much text--it wasn't as much of a read as I had been expecting.

[Ece · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The sea is always changing and full of dangers, but I sail on... through terrible storms, rolling waves."

[Y.Poston]

very sweet

[Franci · Rating 5 out of 5]

#76 of 2025

[Olivia Dodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book is written in a simple way it is an excellent read for getting children to understand that they have the ability to do anything. This would be a great book to read with those struggling with confidence or those just getting into reading. The way the illustrations are kept within a circle throughout the story but on each drawing something is bursting out of that circle can be seen to represent someone trying something out of their comfort zone. A great read!

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

The small tugboat in this story is just a speck in the big ocean. The little boat may encounter dangerous obstacles, terrible thunderstorms, and enormous sea monsters, but it continues on bravely searching for its sea creature friends. Nothing banishes the unknown and scary elements like a group of good friends. They playfully race around the ocean and never want to stop. In the company of friends, no ocean is too big for this little boat.

The story isn’t particularly complex and the text reads more like a life philosophy than a narrative. Docherty’s text is extremely concise and simple, with just a few well-chosen words per page. The illustrations are really the star of the book. Gender neutral little boat is an endearing protagonist, with a small puffing smoke stack and large, expressive eyes. The boat's friends, a school of fish, some porpoises, an octopus, and a large whale, are full of playful joy. The ocean seems to be a character of its own and Docherty deftly captures the many moods of the water, from lapping, clear blue waves to churning stormy water to the dark blue of the depths of the ocean.

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

[Kaye Cloutman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children with big dreams will love Little Boat. They will truly find a hero in this character. Author Thomas Docherty aims to inspire readers of all ages with his delivery of the ever-changing conditions of the sea and how one should sail onward despite terrible storms, ups and downs, rolling waves, treacherous tides, turbulent waters and giant monsters. Of course Little Boat is more determined because he knows that his strong willpower to thread through these obstacles will ultimately be rewarded. Little Boat is illustrated in a miniature and endearing manner with animated eyes and a cute little steam. At the end of all his journeys and adventures, Little Boat realizes that he’s no longer such a little boat. This book is very motivational to young readers who want to pursue their dreams because they are encouraged by the author to sail on, full steam ahead to the edge of the world. No ocean is too big anymore for our little hero. The illustrations are vivacious and the message is understandable to children between the ages of 3-8. This book, surprisingly, will charm adult readers as well. Little Boat can be a great graduation or get-well-soon gift to any child.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a little boat that goes on an adventure out on the big sea. Huge waves, sea creatures, and terrible storms. The tiny boat bravely perseveres and succeeds over these obstacles. The adventures are all described with simple text and stunning illustrations. Thomas Docherty beautifully contrasts the smallness of the boat with the immense-ness of the ocean, which parallels the smallness of a young child and the huge world around them. A tale to inspire the braveness in everyone.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful artwork and an empowering story.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations. If you like it check out To the Beach which is very cool!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully designed and illustrated book. Scant on plot it's for kids who just really like boats and want to look at a lovely book.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute little tug...

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much story, but I like the sense of adventure and some of the illustrations are quite impressive. (The whale!)

[Shanshad Whelan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might like this more if the boat in question wasn't a tugboat that "sails" on. Sailing is mentioned twice in this book, but tugboats clearly have no sails.

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weet story, with some fun moments and nice illustrations.

[Kristin Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cute book! It would be a fun book to read when someone in your class needs some encouragement and to know that they can do what they want if they set their minds to it.

[Elvira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating illustrations will suck toddlers in as the story revolves around a little boat navigating the big ocean to find his friends.