Tugboat Bill and the River Rescue by Calista Brill -- OPTIONAL

Brill, Calista Tugboat Bill and the River Rescue, illustrated by Tad Carpenter. PICTURE BOOK. HarperCollins, 2017. $17.99. Content: G.

Tugboat Bill and his friend Marge the Barge work on the Hudson River. Many of the faster, sleeker, newer boats make fun of them, but Bill and Marge refuse to let the taunting turn them mean. Then one day they have a chance to do a good deed, and the results make the previously-condescending boats jealous. Apparently, being nice pays off.

The colorful illustrations and tugboat theme will appeal to many young children. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of advanced vocabulary risks alienating those same children, and the wordy story itself simply does not stand out enough to beg for inclusion in a library.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) -- OPTIONAL. Reviewed by Sydney G., K-6 Library Media Specialist