Boats on the River

Do you think kids like boats because what they are rhymes with what they do?   

THREE PROS

*Although it's a bit contrived, you still have to give Peter Mandel credit for having every page incorporate a rhyming word directly before the word "boat"

*Going beyond just they rhyming pattern, Mandel believes in a theory I also ascribe to: regardless of how good it a formula is, when you have one, stick to it

*There are quite a few people travelling on all the boats in the book which makes for a fun and easy way to let your kid's eye bounce around the page for a few seconds longer

THREE CONS 

*Wouldn't all of the boats in a tub be "your boats" if at least one of them is -- I can think of exceptions to the rule, but none of them really justify putting this phrasing in here as the big send-off   

*I really hope that the sign pointing the way to the North Pole is located near the South Pole; otherwise the author and illustrator (Edward Miller) make the amateur mistake of placing penguins in the wrong hemisphere

*Please explain to me why only one of the rowboats has two oars (there are even words to this effect) -- seems like everyone else on the pond would have to work super hard to avoid going in circles

ONE DAD'S OPINION

What we have here is a completely inoffensive yet wildly unspectacular title.  I found myself wondering at the end why anyone would ever intentionally check this out of the library, let alone purchase it.  The only reason it's even in my possession right now is that I literally grabbed ten books from a bin and checked them out.  I doubt most people utilize this technique of book selection.  No reason to really go on further.  Next...        

Buy / Borrow / DONATE / Destroy