The exuberant, curious family we met in Dave Petzold’s 2024 multi-awarded We Live in a Bus returns in We Live on a Boat.
Younger brother, Sunny, narrates the first book. His sister, Suzy, tells this tale. The story follows the family’s daily life on board and what happens when they disembark. Living at such close quarters, they need to work as a team. They enjoy discovering something every day – how to fix the boat, how to speak Spanish or how to surf.
There is a wonderful contrast between the detail of their communal life in the cramped galley and the wide expanses of their time in nature. The family appreciates all the sea creatures they encounter. Young readers will also enjoy spotting Salad, the boat iguana.
Petzold’s textured blues and yellows create a coastal feel. He has coloured a surfboard, goggles and coral orange to make them ‘pop’. They highlight the fun of this free-spirited lifestyle. Sound effects contrast with human and whale music to further engage the readers’ senses.
While We Live in a Bus celebrates life on the land, We Live on a Boat delights in life on the sea. Both books remind us that life is an adventure.
Reviewed by Joy Lawn
Age Guide 3+
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Petzold is an author-illustrator living on Bundjalung Country where he loves creating characters who are curious about the world. He was shortlisted for the CBCA New Illustrator of the Year Award for his debut picture book, Seven Seas of Fleas, and his third book, We Live in a Bus, was shortlisted in the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Awards. It was also selected for the BRAW Amazing Bookshelf Bologna Ragazzi Award, and is published in multiple territories around the world.
Visit Dave Petzold’s website here.
Follow Dave Petzold on Instagram here.
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