Wishes and Waves

The Old Boat by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey

Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey, the team of brothers who celebrated the life of a well-used pickup truck are back with another picture book. The Old Boat chronicles the life of a small boat, a family, an island, and the ocean.

A young boy and his grandmother set out on a fishing expedition. Their time together on the water is filled a sense of awe at the expanse of water and myriad sea life. It’s an ode to the mesmerizing mystical quality of the ocean.

"waves and wishes, wants and wonders"

Time passes. The boy has grown. The pristine waters of childhood have become an underwater junkyard, filled with dirt and debris. A violent storm smashes the old boat and washes the vessel and it’s captain ashore. He surveys the seascape and knows that it is time to return the ocean to its former state.

While text is limited, poetic language and the accompanying illustrations convey an eloquent storyline. Aquatic plant and animal shapes are repeated across each two-page spread. Artful graphic design with a muted primary-colored palette hint at the passage of time. Attention to detail is evident. Watch the changes in the young man and his world as the tale progresses.

There is so much to see and experience here. The book is replete with themes: tides, time, renewal. One of the fascinating aspects of this book is the study of the effects of time, both positively and negatively. Time takes its toll on the boat. It slowly deteriorates. ​In the intervening years the effects of pollution take a toll on the condition of the seashore.
The boat rides the tide. It is the undertow and current that determine the boat's fate.
​​A new sailor turns the tide: People act, reversing the gradual destruction of coastal life. With time and effort the beaches and ocean return to the abundant aquatic life it once nurtured.

The Old Boat tells a tale of generations. This is not a "once and done" book. Each reading reveals more little gems.

Electronic copy provided by publisher.

​Pub date: March 2, 2021  Publisher: Norton Young Readers  ISBN: 978-1324005179