2021-03-17
A humanitarian hospital ship figures in a tale of ailing boats and gentle aid.
When the ships are sick, nobody’s happy. Not Barge, who “got bonked,” or Submarine, who has the shakes. Neither are feverish Ferry, coughing Aircraft Carrier, and sniffly, drippy Dory. Who takes care of these ill boats? Why, hospital ship Hope, of course! In a jiffy she treats, comforts, and cares for anyone under the weather. By the time everyone is “shipshape” again, they can rest assured that in the event of another emergency, they’ll always be able to rely on Hope. Backmatter includes a note on the real SS Hope, America’s first peacetime hospital ship, which spent 14 years traveling the world bringing care and training to other countries. Children fearing hospital visits, doctors, or nurses may find comfort in the book’s measured tone. This is reflected not merely in the spare text with its gentle wordplay, but also in the simplicity and style of the digital art. Shapes are cleanly delineated, colors and planes flat. The composition in which Barge suffers her injury is so stylized as to resemble an exercise in the play between positive and negative space. Both text and visuals are so restrained that while the ship-obsessed will love it, it is unlikely that the book will stand up to much rereading among other audiences.
A very real ship inspires a very slight story, coasting on some serious sweetness. (Picture book. 3-6)
"A wonderfully sweet story about kindness and how we can always help one another."—Chelsea Clinton, author of She Persisted
★ "Little readers will be carried along by the bouncy rhythm, the expressive faces of the ships and boats, and the ingenious ways Hope finds to help others in need. Delightful and inspiring."—Booklist, Starred Review
"this story’s power is in the reassurance that a source of comfort and caring is never far away."—Publishers Weekly
"Inspired by the true story of the first peacetime hospital ship, which included an operating room, an X-ray room, a pharmacy, a library, and dozens of doctors and nurses, Savage creates a perfect vehicle book for toddlers. . . . Children will delight in pointing at the characters and participating in the simple plot."—School Library Journal
"Children fearing hospital visits, doctors, or nurses may find comfort in the book’s measured tone. This is reflected not merely in the spare text with its gentle wordplay, but also in the simplicity and style of the digital art." —Kirkus Reviews
