by Margi Preus (Author) Matt Myers (Illustrator)
A little sailboat has a big burst of determination when a fleet of tall ships needs assistance.
Lily the sailboat is small but sturdy, in a harbor full of enormous cargo ships, speedy fishing vessels, and bossy tugboats that all have somewhere to go. And something to say--mostly, "Out of my way, Lily!" But Lily has somewhere to go, too. Out on the lake, the tall ships are coming! To pass from the harbor to the lake, Lily must blow her horn and ask the lift bridge to rise--"Meee-me?"--but the big vessels' blasts are so much louder as they crowd her out and rock her with waves. Finally, Lily slips under just before the bridge goes down, her sails fluttering with excitement as she spies the majestic barquentine, schooner, and other grand old ships heading toward the now-lowered bridge. Silently! How will the bridge know to rise? Can Lily save the day?
This tale of plucky persistence, illustrated with the splash and sparkle of a summer day on the water, is sure to empower any child to take charge when the time is right. A note from the author, a Newbery Honoree, offers more facts about bridges and boats for curious readers.
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"With decks scrubbed, lines coiled, brass gleaming, flags flying, and sails puffed out proudly," writes Preus (The Littlest Voyageur), a tall-masted but diminutive sailboat, Lily, is eager to leave the harbor and greet "a fleet of grand old tall ships" on the open waters of the lake. "Meee-me? Meee-me?" pleads Lily's little horn to the huge lift bridge, which must raise before she can leave the harbor. But much bigger boats--including a behemoth ore boat and a coast guard cutter--push right past Lily and swamp her in their wake: "OOHHH-pen, OOHHH-pen" sound the biggest boats' horns, to which the bridge dutifully responds "OOOHHH-kay. OOOHHH-kay"). Still, Lily persists, righting herself, slipping out under the bridge "just before it goes down again"--and ensuring that the flotilla makes it past the bridge and into the harbor. Myers's (Hum and Swish) lusciously brush-stroked oil illustrations combine anthropomorphism (Lily's deckhouse windows are a pair of bright, eager eyes), marine-scapes with purple-blue waters and creamy foam, and up-close action that's tense but never scary. Whether readers are old salts or landlubbers, they'll want to pipe this one aboard. An author's note discusses the story's beginnings in a real Great Lakes bridge. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Stephen Fraser, Jennifer De Chiara Literary. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (May)
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