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Alphabet Boats

Author Samantha R. Vamos
Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke
Ebook
Charlesbridge
On sale Apr 17, 2018 | 32 Pages | 9781607349778
Preschool - 2
Reading Level: Lexile 560L | Fountas & Pinnell M
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Set sail and learn the ABCs with a boat for each letter!

Discover twenty-six types of vessels, from the more common--canoe and motorboat--to the unusual--umiak and Q-boat. Just like in Alphabet Trucks and Alphabet Trains, colorful art includes the letters of the alphabet hidden (and not-so-hidden) in supporting roles in the illustrations. The text features familiar as well as unusual boats from around the world, packing in tons of instant kid appeal, and upper and lowercase letters are integrated into the action of the art rather than solely in the typography. Back matter includes age-appropriate facts about each featured boat.

Writing for children has been Samantha Vamos’ passion for most of her life. Her desire to have her fiction published dates back to her high school days. By age 21, she had developed several stories for children and was determined to have her work published. Her path to children’s publishing, however, ended up being a long and winding journey that involved graduating from law school and working in a law firm before any of her work was published. 

Samantha received a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. Following her graduation from law school, she practiced as a litigator for seven years in an international law firm in Washington, D.C. She later joined a smaller firm in Chicago, Illinois. Samantha stopped practicing law when she became a mother. Currently, she devotes her time to her family and her passion of writing for children. In the future, readers may learn all about Samantha and her family; she aspires to write a book in which she can honor her diverse heritage.

Samantha’s first children’s book, Before You Were Here, Mi Amor (Viking Children’s Books, 2009, illustrated by Santiago Cohen), reflects her interest in celebrating diversity; the bilingual picture book details how a family welcomes their new child into the world. Parents magazine (May 2009) praised the book, selecting it as one of six books nominated “Best for Babies.”

In her second children’s book, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred (Charlesbridge, illustrated by Rafael Lopez), Samantha once again peppers an English text with Spanish words in a style reminiscent of “The House That Jack Built.” Inspired by a farm maiden stirring a pot (the cazuela), five farm animals assist her with the cooking, contributing ingredients while she stirs. A glossary with pronunciation and a recipe are included in this festive tale about community and food.

Samantha lives with her husband, son, and their 19-year old, ice cream-loving cat in Kirkland, WA. To learn more, visit her website at www.samanthavamos.com.      

View titles by Samantha R. Vamos
For many years Ryan O'Rourke's illustrations have appeared in galleries, newspapers, and magazines, including a weekly illustration for the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. One Big Rain marks Ryan's foray into children's picture books. He makes his home in Connecticut. View titles by Ryan O'Rourke
Raise the anchor.
Grab the oars.
Chart a course to distant shores.
Cast off!
Set sail!
Splash!
Alphabet boats.
Copyright © 2018 by Samantha R. Vamos (Author); Ryan O'Rourke (Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Ahoy! "Raise the anchor. / Grab the oars. / Chart a course / to distant shores. "The opening rhyme sets the scene for this alphabetic litany of boats. Who knew there were so many types? Each letter/type occupies a single page and is accompanied by a simple, one- or two-sentence definition. Some are obvious choices: C for catamaran; K for kayak; T for tugboat. Others are more obscure, at least to outsiders to sailing culture: Q for Q-boat, an armed merchant ship; X for X boat, a small dinghy used to teach beginners. A few are real things but may seem forced to those not in the know: N for narrow boat; V for very slender vessel. Most are presented in a clear context, and for those that are not (U for umiak, "used for migration and trade"; Z for zebec, "a merchant ship light and fast"), readers may consult the closing glossary for a bit more information. The computer art is attractive, adding whimsy by incorporating the letters into each picture. For instance, the illustration of the dory shows people fishing and reeling in D's instead of fish, and the submarine browses the depths surrounded by fish and S's. This companion to Alphabet Trains (2015) and Alphabet Trucks (2013) offers opportunities for classroom use as well as learning for boat enthusiasts.
—Kirkus Reviews


Rhyming text and digital illustrations capture watertight conveyances of all shapes and sizes in this cheerful alphabet book. One to two sentences are spent on each letter of the alphabet all while describing a special type of boat. “K is for kayak, long and narrow to move faster. L is for lifeboat—rescue in case of disaster.” An uncomplicated rhyme scheme helps the story become a read-aloud and encourages young readers to try some of the harder words like moor or shoal. Delightful digital illustrations showcase the letter in various uppercase and lowercase forms throughout each page, and children will delight in finding the letters on each page. VERDICT A first purchase for libraries looking to expand their ABC or transportation shelves.–School Library Journal

About

Set sail and learn the ABCs with a boat for each letter!

Discover twenty-six types of vessels, from the more common--canoe and motorboat--to the unusual--umiak and Q-boat. Just like in Alphabet Trucks and Alphabet Trains, colorful art includes the letters of the alphabet hidden (and not-so-hidden) in supporting roles in the illustrations. The text features familiar as well as unusual boats from around the world, packing in tons of instant kid appeal, and upper and lowercase letters are integrated into the action of the art rather than solely in the typography. Back matter includes age-appropriate facts about each featured boat.

Author

Writing for children has been Samantha Vamos’ passion for most of her life. Her desire to have her fiction published dates back to her high school days. By age 21, she had developed several stories for children and was determined to have her work published. Her path to children’s publishing, however, ended up being a long and winding journey that involved graduating from law school and working in a law firm before any of her work was published. 

Samantha received a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. Following her graduation from law school, she practiced as a litigator for seven years in an international law firm in Washington, D.C. She later joined a smaller firm in Chicago, Illinois. Samantha stopped practicing law when she became a mother. Currently, she devotes her time to her family and her passion of writing for children. In the future, readers may learn all about Samantha and her family; she aspires to write a book in which she can honor her diverse heritage.

Samantha’s first children’s book, Before You Were Here, Mi Amor (Viking Children’s Books, 2009, illustrated by Santiago Cohen), reflects her interest in celebrating diversity; the bilingual picture book details how a family welcomes their new child into the world. Parents magazine (May 2009) praised the book, selecting it as one of six books nominated “Best for Babies.”

In her second children’s book, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred (Charlesbridge, illustrated by Rafael Lopez), Samantha once again peppers an English text with Spanish words in a style reminiscent of “The House That Jack Built.” Inspired by a farm maiden stirring a pot (the cazuela), five farm animals assist her with the cooking, contributing ingredients while she stirs. A glossary with pronunciation and a recipe are included in this festive tale about community and food.

Samantha lives with her husband, son, and their 19-year old, ice cream-loving cat in Kirkland, WA. To learn more, visit her website at www.samanthavamos.com.      

View titles by Samantha R. Vamos
For many years Ryan O'Rourke's illustrations have appeared in galleries, newspapers, and magazines, including a weekly illustration for the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. One Big Rain marks Ryan's foray into children's picture books. He makes his home in Connecticut. View titles by Ryan O'Rourke

Excerpt

Raise the anchor.
Grab the oars.
Chart a course to distant shores.
Cast off!
Set sail!
Splash!
Alphabet boats.
Copyright © 2018 by Samantha R. Vamos (Author); Ryan O'Rourke (Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Praise

Ahoy! "Raise the anchor. / Grab the oars. / Chart a course / to distant shores. "The opening rhyme sets the scene for this alphabetic litany of boats. Who knew there were so many types? Each letter/type occupies a single page and is accompanied by a simple, one- or two-sentence definition. Some are obvious choices: C for catamaran; K for kayak; T for tugboat. Others are more obscure, at least to outsiders to sailing culture: Q for Q-boat, an armed merchant ship; X for X boat, a small dinghy used to teach beginners. A few are real things but may seem forced to those not in the know: N for narrow boat; V for very slender vessel. Most are presented in a clear context, and for those that are not (U for umiak, "used for migration and trade"; Z for zebec, "a merchant ship light and fast"), readers may consult the closing glossary for a bit more information. The computer art is attractive, adding whimsy by incorporating the letters into each picture. For instance, the illustration of the dory shows people fishing and reeling in D's instead of fish, and the submarine browses the depths surrounded by fish and S's. This companion to Alphabet Trains (2015) and Alphabet Trucks (2013) offers opportunities for classroom use as well as learning for boat enthusiasts.
—Kirkus Reviews


Rhyming text and digital illustrations capture watertight conveyances of all shapes and sizes in this cheerful alphabet book. One to two sentences are spent on each letter of the alphabet all while describing a special type of boat. “K is for kayak, long and narrow to move faster. L is for lifeboat—rescue in case of disaster.” An uncomplicated rhyme scheme helps the story become a read-aloud and encourages young readers to try some of the harder words like moor or shoal. Delightful digital illustrations showcase the letter in various uppercase and lowercase forms throughout each page, and children will delight in finding the letters on each page. VERDICT A first purchase for libraries looking to expand their ABC or transportation shelves.–School Library Journal

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