Boats for Papa

Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 7, 2015

Review

Definite nomination for Cream of the Crop. Buckley the bear lives with his mother in a cabin on the beach. They are very happy in their life together. He loves boats and he misses his dad. One day Buckley decides to make a boat and attaches a note to it that says, "For Papa, Love, Buckley." He and mama then walk down to the water and he sends the boat out to sea for his papa to find. Buckley repeats this many times over, each boat is grander than the other. But the note attached is the same, "For Papa, Love, Buckley". One day Buckley goes to get a piece of paper out of his mother's desk and finds all of his boats that he made for Papa. Buckley knows they just washed back up on shore and that his father is never going to get them. But he also knows his mother loves him and that he is very happy with her. Buckley makes one more boat and puts it out to sea. That night it washes up on shore and his mother rescues it. But this time the note reads, "For Mama, Love, Buckley". This is a beautiful, life-affirming story about resilience after loss, grief, being happy with the life you've been given and a mother's love. The text is lyrical and puts the reader right in the middle of it. The illustrations are done in pen and watercolor and are beautifully rendered and detailed and flow with the story. This would be perfect to use in an introductory unit on loss, grief, love and endurance. Would work best as one on one for read aloud. Any child who has experienced the loss of a parent would benefit from hearing this story. It adds a whole other dimension to the genre of grief and loss books for children. It is never stated what happened to Papa, so the loss in the story can be used in many situations. This is a beautiful story full of hope and heartbreak. But love shines through. Just wow. A must purchase for most libraries.

Overall Book Score: excellent