As a young girl and her mom take their daily paddle in their blue canoe, she can't stop thinking about her future baby sibling. As she and her pregnant mom paddle along, they see all the things that she and her coming-soon baby sibling can do together. She is excited to show her coming-soon baby sibling all the fun things on the canoe. However, she has a few concerns along the way too. Luckily, she talks with her mom about it all, and they look at all the good stuff to come. The sister in this story is so excited to introduce her and her mom's canoeing tradition with the baby and all the fun things that come along with it.
 
This is such a sweet story of a soon-to-be big sister and her excitement over having a sibling. It also talks about some of the concerns she has about having a sibling. This is so common for older children who are expecting siblings to be worried about some things, like whether mom and dad still have time for me, whether the baby will like me, what the baby will be like, etc. The author wrote this with such sensitivity on the topic of becoming a sibling. It is not an easy transition for many kids, and books like this can definitely help prepare them emotionally for it. The illustrations are so pretty and really help tell the story. I love the details, such as the sparkle on the water, the emotions on faces, and the animals. The colours are beautiful, they represent nature perfectly and draw attention to where they want it.
I wish I had had this book when I was pregnant with my daughter. My son would have loved it.

I read this book to my class because we had a few students who were about to become older siblings and needed the reassurance.

Oh, how I wish I could've had this book 2 years ago with my oldest to read with before her sibling arrived. Such a beautiful and warming story of an expectant mother and her first-born child. My children enjoyed this story and all the animals.

"The Blue Canoe" is a tender tale that follows the journey of a little girl and her mama as they canoe on the lake, ruminating about how life is about to change with the "coming-soon-baby." Fueled by both excitement and concern, the little girl poses common questions kids ask when families are about to grow. This book would make for a wonderful gift to an expecting family who want a jumping off point for important conversations with their older children about the blessing of a baby.

What a beautifully illustrated and written story about a young girl and her mother, talking during a canoe trip about the new baby mom is expecting. Questions and uncertainties swirl as the paddles slip through the water. Eventually, the mom reassures her daughter that all be well. A sweet, soothing tale.

The Blue Canoe has some beautiful visuals that really complement the story being told. I personally think this would be a great jobs for parents as well as children who are newly siblings. The overall tone of the book was very reassuring and comforting.

I also want to add that this would be a popular picture book especially after the viral Tiktok of a little girl breaking down and having an existential crisis when her parents announced they were going to have another baby. I mean that video scarred me and I don't even have any kids.

The Blue Canoe is a cute little story about canoeing but also discussing an upcoming baby sibling. While seeing different animals on the trip, the mother and daughter discuss the fears and joys of having a baby sibling that’s coming soon. It’s a nice little story that can be used for any child that is having a new addition to the family.

The illustrations are wonderful and help children understand animals and how different or alike a sibling can be and that either are beautiful.

Great for a home library when expecting a new sibling!

The Blue Canoe follows a mother-to-be and her daughter spending the day on the lake while getting ready for a new addition to the family. I absolutely adored this book and the adventures these characters take. Nature is such a beautiful thing and these illustrations portrayed that.

This book would be perfect for mothers-to-be to read to their young children. It’s so eye-opening and beautifully written. I also loved how each animal was portrayed in this book. The overall message in this book was touching and heartwarming, and these illustrations were colorful and spectacular.

🛶 🌊 🌺 🛶 🌊 🌺 🛶 🌊 🌺 🛶 🌊 🌺

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!

A young girl wonders and worries about the arrival of her new baby brother as she and her mom paddle in a blue canoe on a lake.

This charming picture book is perfect to share with children who are nervous about the arrival of a new family member. I especially liked how the child expressed her fears and her mother didn't brush them off but explained how things would likely be moving forward.

Thank you to Familius and Net Galley for the eARC!

Thank you Netgalley and familius for the amazing ARC in exchange of an honest review.


Blue canoe is a story of a daughter mother bond. It's adorable. And we, me and my daughter loved it so very much. Apart from the mom n daughter duo, it shows nature and animals in such a beautiful and subtle way. There's a calm about how the illustrations show the bonding between not just a mom n her children but the bond between animals and nature and human beings.


The illustrations are so pleasant to look at. I can't get enough of this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Every cabin day is a paddle-on-the-lake day.
You’ll be paddling with us too, coming-soon baby.
Mom and me and you in our blue canoe.

A mother and daughter spend the day on the lake, admiring the local flora and fauna and considering the way their paddling routine might change when a new baby arrives.


This was such a cute little read with beautiful illustrations and an even more beautiful meaning.
A little girl's fear of how things might change after her sibling is born is not new to me (even though I wasn't little when it happened but you do get what I mean, right?) As humans, we have fears and that's normal. At times we do need validations and the comfort of a mother's love and the delivered it beautifully with this book.
I would recommend this to everyone who need assurance that everything will turn out well💖

The Blue Canoe is a sweet children’s book about a soon-to-be big sister and her mom on their canoe. We see their day out together exploring nature, while she wonders what sort of things her new sibling will like to do and see.

I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book. The pictures are colourful and vivid, and so detailed. Even the light sparkling on the water was included and extremely well done. I loved all the animals and their hiding spots that were included as well.

This would be a great gift for any soon-to-be big siblings, especially if they are nature lovers!

What a sweet book!
First of all I loved the style of the illustrations, they look very realistic and beautiful. They are full of nature and animals too.
The message of the story is quite clear, it is the perfect book to prepare children for their new siblings. I think it did a perfect job of setting the right expectations for older sibling about the new baby while also giving them peace of mind that just because there's a new kid that doesn't mean they will be forgotten.
It is a very cute book with a great message that will help both children and parents.

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

The Blue Canoe is a sweet, simple picture book about a young girl and her expectant mother going on canoe trip. Throughout the trip, they discuss the upcoming new baby and how it will affect their lives. This is a wonderful picture books for young kids who are about to get a new sibling. It would be a great book for parents to read along with them and discuss any upcoming anxieties or excitement.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sheryl McFarlane, and Familius for the chance to read and review!

A beautiful book exploring the anticipation of a new baby while highlighting a mother-daughter relationship.

A mother-to-be and her daughter take a ride in a canoe while discussing the arrival of a new sibling and admiring the natural world. The daughter’s concerns about her new sibling are addressed by the mother thoughtfully and considerately, culminating in excitement for the new arrival. This story warmed my heart, and the illustrations are beautiful and colorful. I also appreciated the depiction of an active expectant mother. This is a perfect book for children with a new sibling on the way, but the story and illustrations would be engaging for children of all ages.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!

A sweet story about preparing for a new sibling. Very peaceful and calming with a lovely focus on the wildlife and fun of canoeing on the lake. Sweet simple illustration style, too.

What an absolutely charming and endearing read. This book is the perfect addition to any classroom library and will be one of those books the children will ask to be read over and over again! For anyone expanding their family, this book is a source of comfort for soon to be older siblings and will ease their curiosity and anxiety regarding a new baby. The illustrations are bright and beautiful and add to the story’s special message. Highly recommend.

This was such a delightful read with the most beautiful illustrations. The story told of a young girl, who loves to go paddling with her mum, in their blue canoe, and the impending arrival of her baby sibling, who she cannot wait to meet and show them all the great things, when it is a paddle day.

I absolutely adored the artwork; it made the story all the more intriguing to follow!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sheryl McFarlane and the publisher for allowing me to read The Blue Canoe before its release.

"Every cabin day is a paddle on the lake day." Thus begins this delightful picture book, The Blue Canoe, which takes young readers on a gentle journey through reeds and rushes. As our young protagonist observes a heron, leaping trout and other wildlife, she asks her mom what life will be like when her new sibling arrives. The mother reassures her child that she will never be too busy for her or paddling on the lake together. The beautiful illustrations capture the magic of the lake, all its residents, and the warmth of the mother-daughter relationship.

What a beautifully illustrated and written story about a young girl and her mother, talking during a canoe trip about the new baby mom is expecting. Questions and uncertainties swirl as the oars slip through the water. Eventually, the mom reassures her daughter that all be well. A sweet, soothing tale.