Origami boats and paper airplanes are some of the simplest and easiest toys to make for children. If you’ve forgotten how to fold them, just check the inside covers of Float by Daniel Miyares. In this wordless picture book, author Miyares shows adult hands folding a paper boat, and a young boy in a yellow raincoat and hat taking the new boat out to play in very cloudy weather. The rain soon starts and the boy quickly protects the boat inside his rain slicker. When the weather lets up there are plenty of puddles to play in! In bright active scenes he tries one puddle after another until he comes to a rushing stream in the gutter and quickly loses his boat down the street! Across streets, and down blocks the boat eventually slips down a storm drain. The boy waits on the bridge at the nearest creek. There’s his boat! Or, the soggy mess of a boat. Sadly the boy fishes it out and trudges home as the rain starts again. At home a hug from dad, plus dry clothes, hair, and hot chocolate makes him feel better. Then, it’s back to the newspapers, this time to fold an airplane. Out the front door the world isn’t grey any more, but filled with bright yellow sunshine.
You can get more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit. This is director Rachel Malay, saying “Thanks for checking us out!”