With dreamy illustrations by Chris Sheban that remind me of paintings by JMW Turner, the pairing of Sheban's artistry and Stevenson's poetry immediately transports the reader to a seemingly simpler and quieter time as the river and its surroundings are described:
Dark brown is the river.
Golden is the sand.
It flows along for ever,
With trees on either hand...
Unlike your typical board book, Where Go the Boats? unfolds. I couldn't help but wonder if that unfolding was intentional as it seems to represent the movement and length of the river as the sailboat is taken on its course and, perhaps in a greater sense, the unfolding of time.
A stunning board book for every little one's shelf, I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Creative Editions for sending it to me! Other board books illustrated by Chris Sheban include What to Do with a Box and Beyond the Stars.
Enjoy!