About the Holiday

Today we commemorate the day in 1900 when the United States Navy acquired its first modern commissioned submarine, the Holland VI. The vessel was designed in 1896 by John Phillip Holland, an Irish-American inventor, and launched in 1897 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It was later purchased by the U.S. Navy and commissioned on October 12 with Lieutenant Harry H. Caldwell commanding. It was renamed the USS Holland (SS-1). Submarines are now employed not only for military purposes but for scientific research as well. To celebrate, learn more about the history and service of these vessels. You can even take a virtual tour of the USS Torsk – part of the fleet of Historic Boats in Baltimore, Maryland.

Boats Will Float

Written by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum | Illustrated by Brett Curzon

As the sun rises, “boats are bobbing in the bay, / waiting to be on their way. / Longing for the reaching tide. / Needing to explore and glide.” The day is clear and the sun shines brightly on fishing boats, where fishermen pull up their nets and drop their lines, and dragon boats, where rowers steer the boat to the rhythm of the drum. Captains hail each other as their boats pass on the way out to the open ocean. Seagulls swoop and call out too.

Image copyright Brett Curzon, 2020, text copyright Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

At a family picnic, the “speedboat launches human kite.” Is that Grandma taking flight? The ocean’s busy on this day with tugboats, a tanker, and an old-fashioned schooner. A fireboat’s needed to put some smoldering out. The coast guard is keeping the water safe while cruise ship passengers spy “passing pods of spouting whales.”

A research vessel way out to sea launches scientists and divers to learn more about what lies beneath. While “far below, a submarine, / working hard to stay unseen, / travels at a steady pace, housing sailors, short on space.” A trawler rounds a rocky shore where a lighthouse warns of dangers below. Nighttime brings a starlit sail and a houseboat rocks its family to sleep. “Safely moored in dreams all night– / Boats will float…toward morning’s light.”

An illustrated glossary telling more about each of the sixteen boats in the story follows the text.

Image copyright Brett Curzon, 2020, text copyright Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

A day on the water has never felt so inviting as in Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum’s engaging tale of boats big and small sailing the ocean for work and pleasure. Rosenbaum introduces young readers to a community of boats all enjoyed by industrious and enthusiastic skippers, sailors, paddlers, and even a dog or two. Her lyrical storytelling brings the sights, sounds, and flowing rhythms of the sea inside for rousing and educational story times while the cozy nightly routine of the family who lives in a houseboat makes for snuggly bedtime reading.

Image copyright Brett Curzon, 2020, text copyright Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

You can almost feel the salty breeze in Brett Curzon’s bright and charming illustrations that place the boats in tranquil waters and amid roiling waves. Whitecaps and frothy spray, leaping dolphins and whales, and circling seagulls looking for a treat create a vivid experience for readers. Curzon faithfully recreates each vessel with clear details that will enthrall kids. The fun of the dragon boats, drama of the fireboat, and porthole view from the submarine will enchant readers. The nighttime sail by a child and father is gorgeously lit by an explosion of stars, a vibrant moon, and the stalwart lighthouse and buoy that guides them.

A captivating introduction to boats, work, and life on the sea for vehicle lovers and any child, Boats Will Float, will be a favorite for story times and as a take along on ocean, lake, river, and other outings.

Ages 5 – 7

Sleeping Bear Press, 2020 | ISBN 978-1534110410

Discover more about Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum and her books on her website.

National Submarine Day Activity

Boats Will Float Activity Page

Set sail with this Boats Will Float Activity Page available to download from Sleeping Bear Press.

You can find Boats Will Float at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Sleeping Bear Press

  |Picture Book Review