The Blue Canoe

I read this story with my children and they loved pointing out each individual animal.

This story is about a young girl and her expectant mother going on a ride in their blue canoe, a hobby they both share. The girl has many questions about the world around her and what her life will be like soon with a new sibling in tow. The mother is gentle, kind and reassures her daughter that they will still continue to take canoe travels together.

This is an excellent book to read with any children but particularly those about to get upgraded to big sibling status.
The message is warm and cozy and the illustrations are colorful and beautiful.

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

I can't have enough of this cover I wanted it to be a poster, I will have to display the book on my shelves instead eheh. The artwork is very serene and beautiful and has a great mood. This is the story of a young girl who is about to be a big sister, the changes can be overwhelming, and she will need to share her mother with her sibling, but I'm glad that she is excited to share her life and protect the baby too. Their connection with nature is wonderful. Very beautiful illustrations.
Thank you for the e-arc.

This is a beautifully illustrated book that captures the myriad of emotions brought on by adding a new member to the family. I particularly love how the mother does not erase all of the young girl's worries by saying "That won't happen" or "It'll all be okay." The mother is very realistic in acknowledging that she will be busy and tired at times, and that they will not know what the baby likes to do until they arrive. This picture book is a gentle, thoughtful, and sweet portrayal of the spectrum of thoughts and feelings experienced by a young child whose family is expecting a baby.

THE BLUE CANOE is a very sweet children's book about one young girl's excitements and fears about her shortly-arriving baby brother, and how we will fit into the already established traditions of her family. She wonders this while sharing special time with her mother, and taking in the sounds and sights of a river canoe trip. The illustrations are lovely, and the story is sweet and hopeful. A lovely book to help children about to experience that family dynamic change.

I found this story to be heart warming. As a big sister, I know the feeling of curiosity and worry that comes with getting a new sibling. This story did beautifully in expressing those emotions while having the mother comfort and reassure her daughter. The illustrations really helped with the story and made it come across so perfect in my opinion. I love the message that even when things change, it doesn’t mean it has to be bad or that everything will change.

This is a great bedtime story that could help many soon to be big brothers/sisters.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

omg this was so sweet <3 the blue canoe is a story about a family expecting another baby and what i like about it is that it is from the perspective of the baby's sibling and her conversations with their mother as they have their canoe trip activity. this is just perfect for families especially since it tackles the daughter's doubts as well like what if she'll be a bad sibling. it's just so true because i also felt that way when i was a kid. i wanted to give my whole world to my baby sister <3 this is a good way to reassure children of their capabilities as an older sibling. thank you for the author for this ARC! thank you to NetGalley as well!

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.

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.

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!

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*

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.

"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 beautiful book, I absolutely adored the art! This is a story about a young girl and her mom taking a canoe trip and talking about the new baby that her mom is expecting. The little girl has questions and is uncertain but her mom reassures her and it's just very sweet. The art is so peaceful and creates such a lovely atmosphere and the message of the story is lovely. A great resource for anyone with a child who is nervous or unsure about becoming an older sibling

This is a charming 'big sibling' book - and while most are focused on adjusting after the baby comes, this one nicely covers all the hopes and fears a big sister may have in anticipation of the baby coming. I also loved the quiet time mother and daughter are spending together out in the canoe and out in nature on a day just for them (while dad pursues his own different passions). It's a good lesson that everyone has different things they like, and you don't have to spend every moment together as a family when your hobbies are different!

The Blue Canoe is a reflective and warm story about a young girl reflecting with her mother about the upcoming arrival of her 'coming-soon' baby sibling.

I think this would be a wonderful read for a child expecting a new sibling. I loved the gentle and honest relationship between mother and daughter, as daughter expressed her fears about the upcoming change. Their conversation explored individual differences and identity, the unsettling experience of change, and the exciting new things that change can bring. Watching them canoe down the river, and notice the wildlife around them gave their conversation such a relaxing and grounding feeling.

I was drawn to the book by the illustration on the cover, which which were rich and glowing and almost shone from the page. They made the story a truly immersive experience, and we loved looking at the trout, seeing the eagle overhead, and swimming under the water with mother and daughter.

Thank you Familius and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.