Oh Look a Boat!
Picture Storybooks
An uplifting and humorous story about adventure, expanding horizons and a celebration of new experiences.
When a curious little mouse discovers a boat by his front door, he climbs aboard and accidentally sets out to sea. But it’s not easy being a little mouse in a big world. Drifting farther and farther away, Mouse passes volcanic lands, sails through icy waters, and battles a ferocious storm . . . But will he ever find his way back home?
Creators
Andrew J. Ross grew up in Toronto, Canada and studied animation at Sheridan College, graduating in 2007. He has worked in the animation industry for more than 10 years, serving as a senior storyboard artist on more than 10 feature films for some of the world’s leading studios including Disney, DreamWorks Animation and Sony Animation. He has also illustrated two books for Penguin Random House including Birthday on Mars! and Heart on Pluto, both of which received positive reviews.
Reviews
Text is minimal in this wonderfully illustrated story about a mouse who finds a boat outside his home, climbs aboard and sets off on a series of accidental adventures that include navigating whitewater waves, tumbling over a waterfall, dealing with storms at sea, passing a pirate ship, and narrowly missing being swamped by massive boats and freighters…First published by Éditions Amaterra in France in 2023 as Oh! Regarde, un bateau!, this book will appeal to more than just the very young, thanks to the Toronto-based author/illustrator’s colourful art.
Montreal Gazette
One day, a mouse finds a boat outside his front door and decides to climb aboard. Before he knows it, the boat carries him out to sea and takes him off around the world. I love the aesthetic of the little paper boat – such a fragile thing to carry such a great adventure. The big and bold illustrations tell the story beautifully and capture all the jeopardy and wonder the little mouse feels on his expedition. The repetition of the title is really enjoyable to read aloud with young children, and it’s very reassuring when he does eventually find his way home.
Juno
