Eight-year old Lanie is lying awake in her cozy bunk on her grandfather's boat. Waiting for sleep, she listens to the noises of the marina and thinks about her day that had been full of adventures on the tide flats with Grandfather.
"The collaboration of author Helen Furbush and illustrator Christine McCroskey, Lying Awake, is a thoroughly enjoyable picture book story about what it is like on a boat. More than just an amusing story, Lying Awake is also quite educational, offering fascinating tidbits on daily shipboard life, ranging from safety tips; to commonly used nautical terms (like 'bulkheads' for walls; to information about marine wildlife, and more. Lying Awake is delightful, entertaining, and highly recommended reading for children of all ages."
Helen Furbush is available to visit the classroom to read Lying Awake to the students, to lead a discussion about the story, the tide flats, about life on a boat, and/or about the marine animals in the book, as well as work with the students on one of the activities in the book. Contact the author to discuss details and schedule an appointment.
Lying awake on Grandfather's boat,
I listen to the noises of the marina.
I lie in my bunk as the boat rocks gently,
and the water slaps softly on the hull.
Through the open porthole,
I hear the creak of the deck,
the cry of gulls, and the groan of ropes
as they strain against the pier.
I hear the chug, chug, chug of tugs
and other boats passing by,
and voices calling out hellos and goodnights.
And I hear the glug, glug, glug of water
sloshing and gurgling under the bow of the boat.
And I think: it sounds just like
the tub when you pull the plug.
Harbor Island Books LLC
c Copyright 2010
design by Julie Furbush
