Children's books: "I Ship", "Kayaking", and "Brains"

 

I Ship by Kelly Rice Schmitt, illustrated by Jam Dong (Millbrook Press)
Kayaking by Tanya Kornienko (Books to Hook Publishing)
Brains by John Devolle (Pushkin Children's Books)

Back into the world of children's books! This time, a set of books aimed at exploring the world...and the mind.

I Ship is an absolute delight of a picture book that gives children a look at the shipping industry. The simple style of the illustrations belies just how much detail has gone into them—there's so much for kids to examine and explore. The text has some rhymes and alliteration, explaining the complexities that go into a container ship's journey, but it's the illustrations that are really the standout. (More detailed text at the end of the book provides more information for kids—or adults—who want to know a bit more, including a glossary, explanations of some key jobs, and some quick facts.) There's also a nod to the Suez Canal blockage of 2021, which might be of more interest to adults than to child readers (kids of an age to read this are almost certainly too young to remember that particular Internet drama!) but is entertaining nonetheless.

I would have loved this as a kid, and I wasn't even the sort of kid who was into trucks and ships and planes and so on. But I would have spent ages looking at the illustrations, what with the cargo and the land details and the soothing colors. What a great read.

True to its title, Kayaking is an exploration of kayaking—here, on Ukraine's Dnipro River. Part love letter to the water and part love letter to the place, this is both informative and beautifully illustrated. Don't expect a lot of plot here; the book is more about exploration and quiet adventure. It would be useful for kids who are soon to go out on a kayak (or canoe) for the first time, but in 2023 it's also nice to see books that offer a picture of Ukraine other than, well, what's been in the news for the past year and a half.

Quiet and lovely—my favorite illustration is the seagull on pages 6–7.

Did you know that an octopus has a main brain...plus eight mini-brains, one in each tentacle? You do now! Adorable and informative, Brains introduces young kids to the basic science of how brains work. Deceptively simple, full-page illustrations help kids visualise what's going on inside their skulls...just don't try taking off the top of your head at home! (Honestly, I sort of want to see someone take the the illustration of the brain sending messages to muscles to make them move and turn it into a Halloween costume.)

It looks like this is part of a broader series of books about various scientific concepts and facts, and while I haven't read the others, this one looks like a great addition to an early-elementary classroom bookcase—and, if they're anything like this, the other books could be lined up right next to it.

Thanks to the authors and publishers for providing review copies through NetGalley.