Join a mother-to-be and her daughter in award-winning author Sheryl McFarlaneand illustratorLaurel Aylesworth’s The Blue Canoe, an enchanting picture book adventure filled with love, reassurance, and cherished connections, discovering the wonders of nature while embracing the arrival of a new baby.
Every cabin day is a paddle-on-the-lake day.
You’ll be paddling with us too, coming-soon baby.
Mom and me and you in our blue canoe.
A mother and daughter spend the day on the lake, admiring the local flora and fauna and considering the way their paddling routine might change when a new baby arrives.
For nature lovers with a growing family, The Blue Canoe is a poignant picture book conversation that gently addresses a child’s natural worries about shifting family dynamics while celebrating the unchangeable bond between mother and child. The details of the animal families they encounter bolster the child’s confidence and reinforce the mother’s loving reassurance that even though a new baby will bring change, some things are as reliable as the sunrise.
Praise
Dad doesn't like to canoe so paddling out on the lake is a special bonding time for a young girl and her mother. One day as they boat around, the girl converses with her mother about how things might change when her baby brother arrives. She asks if her mother will be too busy to canoe with her. Her mother assures her that she will always love canoeing together. The girl asks what will happen if the baby doesn't like to canoe. Her mother explains how it is ok for people to have different interests, but the two of them like canoeing. If her new brother prefers not to boat on the lake, he may enjoy playing soccer with his big sister. The young girl becomes excited about all the things she will teach her brother and the joyful memories soon to come. McFarlane's story beautifully portrays the curiosity and nervousness children may feel when their new sibling is about to be born. They may worry about how their relationships with their parents could shift. However, through Aylesworth's soft illustrations and McFarlane's thoughtful storytelling, children understand that change can be good. In this case, the young girl will have another companion to join them on adventures!
—Children's Literature
