Perfect Picture Book Friday: I SHIP: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey Plus Critique Giveaway

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Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! Every new book is special…but this one is extra special to me because #50PreciousWords is part of its story and author Kelly Rice Schmitt shares what happened:
KELLY: I Ship really began with what will be the second book in the series, which unfortunately isn’t announced yet. I had been struggling with how to simplify a complex concept for kids. Enter Vivian’s #50preciouswords contest. I challenged myself to distill this topic using only 50 words. Brevity gave me the idea to narrate the story in first person. Fast Forward a few months – I have a story draft about a container ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal (sound familiar?) but my critique group thinks it needs a better angle. They suggest reframing it to be in the voice of my #50preciouswords story… and I Ship was born! Thank you, Vivian, for inspiring all of us to try to be extremely INTENTIONAL with our words. For me, it launched a whole book series!

I SHIP: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey

Written by Kelly Rice Schmitt

Illustrated by Jam Dong

Published by Millbrook Press (October 3, 2023)

Ages: 5-9

Themes: Shipping industry, global economy, vehicles

Synopsis: From Amazon:
Made of steel, / colossal, / strong, / I ship around the world.
Come aboard a massive container ship as it pulls into port, loads up with cargo, and heads out to the open ocean. The ship’s voyage includes starry skies and stormy seas, swift currents and unforeseen delays. Through it all, the crew keeps working―with goods to keep the world going, they must carry on.

Rhythmic text from Kelly Rice Schmitt and delightfully detailed illustrations from Jam Dong provide a riveting look at the journey of one mighty ship.

Why I Love This Book:
1. Lyrical text that engages and educates from the POV of the ship!
2. Bold illustrations that convey the activity of the shipping industry!
3. This is so much more than a story about a ship…it’s a mini-course for the young reader about how products move from the countries where they are grown or made to where they will be sold and used – global economy – and working together!

RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Click here for a link to the fabulous classroom guide for the book which also contains coloring pages.

Photo courtesy: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/56539/boat-crafts-kids-make/

How about 18 boat craft activities for your kids: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/56539/boat-crafts-kids-make/

Please remember that we can help new books succeed by reviewing them, putting them on our Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf, buying them, and telling friends about them. How many of these things can you do for THIS book? And be sure to leave a comment to be entered in the AWESOME giveaway from author Kelly…winner’s choice of either a nonrhyming PB Critique (under 800 words) OR a copy of this amazing book!

41 thoughts on “Perfect Picture Book Friday: I SHIP: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey Plus Critique Giveaway”

    • Ahoy Mary! Thank you so much — I hope you get the chance to check out I SHIP soon. Vivian’s contest really had an impact on my writing and I hope everyone takes advantage of her fabulous opportunity each year!

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    • Ahoy Joyce! (love that assonoance!) Vivian’s contest really has a way of making picture book ideas become perfection! Thank you so much for your support. I hope you can check out I SHIP soon!

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    • Ahoy Hilary! Thank you so much for supporting I SHIP! I hope you can read it soon. And Vivian is amazing and truly the fairy godmother of SO many incredible books from her inspiring #50precious words contest!! Make sure you enter when you can!

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    • Ahoy Robin! I love thinking about that too. Check out my social media for a look at the AMAZING secret cover/ undie of I SHIP that shows what’s inside the containers in our book. Jam Dong did a wonderful job imagining fun items. In the activity guide Vivian linked I have a coloring page/ activity sheet asking kids to imagine what they would load a container with and where their ship would be coming from. I hope you can check it out soon.

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  8. I’m looking forward to reading I Ship as awhile back I researched how ships transported cargo in the 1930’s. My mother and her family booked passage on one for a trip back to the Netherlands to visit family. It was a cheaper way to travel before airplanes. So interesting! I’ve also researched how goods were stored and shipped in barrels right until the 1950’s. Much has changed!

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    • Ahoy Marie! I love how you, too, have been fascinated by this world of international shipping! How cool that your family rode on one! I SHIP’s backmatter has more about the evolution shipping and containerization and has some great links for video and book resources too. I hope you get to check it out soon!

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  9. I am anxious to read I Ship; ships are somewhat of an enigma…afterall, how
    many children get to ride on a boat, let alone a ship. And Kelly has coupled the story of the ship with so much more information. Congratulations, Kelly!

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  12. I love that this book came out of the contest! This is why I try to enter every year to work on my own writing. Congratulations on a fabulous book that I can’t wait to read as mentor text. With all the shipping cargo delays in the news, this book is more than timely.

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    • Ahoy Danielle! Thank you for your kind words about I SHIP. I hope you can check it out soon! And that’s fabulous that you keep entering Vivian’s contest. It’s such a great way to push ourselves as writers!

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  18. Oh, I think my twins would love this book, I am always trying to explain the process of how the stuff we use gets made, and this is an important part of that!

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    • Ahoy Zachary! I hope you are able to share I SHIP with your twins. Sharing the process behind how things arrive at our doorsteps is a big part of why I wrote I SHIP. Thank you for sharing.

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    • Ahoy Liz! Thank you so much for your kind words. I agree– container ships are so cool, and I SHIP has a little something for everyone with detailed back matter about the history of container shipping, pros and cons, why countries trade and more. The back matter makes it fun for older independent readers and adults alike! I hope you can read it soon.

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  20. I love the artwork and it sounds like a wonderful story! Maybe try to sell it to Danish publishers. With Mærsk, container ships are big in Denmark.
    And I love how #50preciouswords helped you find the voice for a story! The same thing happened to me

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