Grumble Boats

What a sweet book about taking your “grumbles” and letting them sail away!

Emma is feeling grumpy that she doesn’t get to go to the pirate party with her brother. Thankfully, her grandma has a plan. They write out their grumbles on paper, fold them into paper boats, and let them sail away.

This book would be a great tool to help children identify and do something about their grumpy feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This is a cute book with really pretty pictures. It teaches children how to cope with frustrations (or grumbles!) in a creative way. I like that the book did not invalidate Emma’s feelings or tell her to stop.

Oh this book should be on every parents bookshelf. Its all about the grumbles and getting rid of them. With the most sweetest way ever and with a grandma. Like the most darling book I've ever read! My four kids cherished every page and the conversations to follow were beautiful. Thank you Susannah McFarlane for writing the most perfect children's book.

Sweet story. Special lesson. Beautiful relationship between Emma and Grandma. Grumble Boats is a gem.

Emma is at her grandma’s house and she is feeling crabby. Grandma to the rescue! This sweet book by prolific children’s author Susannah Mcfarlane is beautifully illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie. It provides a creative resolution to a bad mood. It won’t just work for Emma, but for grandma and anyone else who reads or listens to the book. Draw your “grumble“ on a piece of paper. Use the directions in the book to fold the paper into a boat. And then put it in a moving body of water and let it float away. Wonderful idea. The author comments that paper is readily biodegradable, so points are given for environmental awareness as well. Nice presentation, great lesson!

With thanks to NetGalley for a free advance e-copy of this book, I have written this review voluntarily. (Publication date is April 15, 2024.)

Grumble Boats are such a good idea that I - at 29 - might make some myself. The cherry on top? Instructions on how to fold your own!

Big emotions are tough to navigate at any age. Such a tangible visual of letting those go is especially rare for younger kids; I'd dare to say that even toddlers could understand the big picture here.

I couldn't recommend this book more! Definitely one I'll be purchasing for my little guy's home library!

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Susannah McFarlane and Charlesbridge for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}

Emma is very grumpy that she has to stay with Grandma rather than go to a party with her brother. This is such a charming, lovely book about dealing with big feelings. I love the relationship between Emma and Grandma and I'll definitely be making some grumble boats of my own.

Emma’s upset that she has to hang out at Grandma’s house instead of accompanying her big brother to a party. So Grandma goes out to the beach and shows Emma how to use a little paper boat to get rid of frustrations or anger. The good message from Susannah McFarlane and the lovely pictures by Tamsin Ainslie combine for a wonderful picture book for dealing with very big feelings in very little kids. Adults will adore this book just as much.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Charlesbridge in exchange for an honest review.

"POP! It was a little boat," such a sweet reminder that our problems can be transformed into something completely different, even a fun way to bond with those we love.

Grumble Boats helped remind me today to think twice about how big I'm making my problems and to ask myself if they might actually be opportunities to bond with others. And the book comes with instructions on how to fold our own Grumble Boat. How lovely!

Thanks to NetGalley for sharing this DRC with me for an honest review.

What do you do when all you want to do is grumble. You make a grumble boat and set it adrift. This fun and inventive book by Susannah McFarlane can help even the most grumpy people think positively about a situation. Her parents are taking her brother to a pirate party while Emma stays with her grandmother. Emma is not pleased. She wants to go to the party as well. Hmph! Emma's grandmother knows exactly how to help her get rid of her grumbles. The grandmother gathers some materials and they set off for the beach. Taking out paper and pens, grandmother sits on the beach and writes. Earlier that day, grandmother broke her favorite tea cup, so she started drawing out her grumble. The idea of coloring wasn't too appealing to Emma. Emma's grandmother explained that sometimes it is good to write our grumbles down when things do not go our way. It's not long before Emma sits on the beach drawing out her grumble. Emma is quite impressed when her grandmother folds the paper into a boat. When both papers have been transformed into boats, grandmother holds Emma's hand while they throw their boats into the sea. Goodbye grumbles! Both of them watch their grumble boats sail further and further out into the ocean. That's how you handle grumbles.

The act of creating grumble boats and setting them adrift is a therapeutic way to release negative emotions. It allows individuals to externalize their frustrations, giving them a tangible form so they can be acknowledged and let go. This simple yet meaningful ritual can bring a sense of relief and closure, helping people to move forward with a more positive outlook.

Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge for the digital arc.
Little Emma is having a very grumpy day when she isn't allowed to attend a pirate party with her brother, and is left to spend time with Grandma. During a walk on the beach Grandma introduces Emma to the grumble boat, a drawing of your grumbles which is then folded into a paper boat, and launched into the water. Gentle pastel illustrations with instructions for folding a paper boat. Excellent for young children learning to navigate emotions.

Emma’s older brother is going to a pirate party and little sister, Emma is not, so she will stay with grandmother. Emma doesn’t understand why she can’t go to the pirate party. What to do? She pouts and grumbles. Who is best to help a disappointed child, grandmother, of course. (you see I’m a gramma)

Emma's grandmother takes her granddaughter and the dog for a beach walk. Wearing her coat with the big pockets, she knows exactly how to help get rid of Emma’s grumbles. At the shore, she takes out paper and pens from those big pockets, and grandmother sits on the beach and writes. (I really don’t know how one can write with pen and paper with sand as the surface but that’s ok.) She explains she is to writing/drawing her own grumbles on the paper. Grandmother writes snd shares that she broke her favorite tea cup just that morning, so she started drawing out this grumble. Emma's grandmother says it’s good to write our grumbles down when things do not go our way. Reluctantly, Emma sits on the beach drawing out her grumble.then the magic happens when grandmother folds the paper into a boat. When both papers have been transformed into boats, grandmother and Emma join hands as they launch their boats into the sea. Both of them quietly watch their grumble boats sail further and further out into the ocean. Even though Emma remarks to grandmother that maybe she could find a new favorite teacup, grandmother doesn’t bring up the missed pirate party. Oh the wisdom of the seniors.

Creating grumble boats and setting them adrift is a therapeutic and tangible way for a child to release negative emotions. As the grumble boat drifts away so will your frustration bringing a sense of relief and closure, helping one to move forward with a more positive outlook.

This is a really good and useful book to help youngsters who experiencebdisappointments. If you aren’t near the ocean perhaps a field trip to the creek is in order.

Don’t know how to make a paper boat? Instructions are included.
Beautiful illustrations!

Thank you so you so much to Charlesbridge and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Emma wants to go to the pirate party with her brother but isn’t allowed, so she has the grumbles. Grandma knows how to fix the grumbles and takes her to the beach to help cheer her up and send the grumbles away.

I absolutely loved this book, not only did Emma have grumbles but so did grandma and together they made a really adorable and fun way of getting rid of the grumbles and setting their sadness and worries far away from them.

It was so sweet and I love how gentle she was with her she never pushed her or expected anything from her, just let Emma come to terms with it all on her own and eventually she was okay again and I really adored that.

The illustrations were so sweet and beautiful to look at seeing Emma, grandma and dog Bella going through a sad moment In their lives. It was a really great read and it’s perfect for if your little ones are feeling grumpy as it is a good way of showing that a distraction can help them feel better.

This book is a must read for parents, while kids will find it funny - at least my daughter did.
One of the biggest challenges of parenthood is to teach your children how they can cope with their own feelings. What to do whenever they feel anxious, angry, sad or overwhelmed. This book shows a great example for how to empower them with simple tools.

Such a charming and sweet book. Emma has to go to her Grandmas when her parent's and brother get to go to a pirate party and she is grumpy about it. Her Grandma is trying to cheer her up with no luck. Then they go to the beach and Grandma shows her what she does when she is grump or is having a bad day. This leads to a Grumble boat that contains your problem that gets to be made into a boat and released.
Just in case a person doesn't know how to fold a boat there is a whole page on how to fold your very own Grumble Boat.

i adored this title and will DEFINITELY be sharing it with my kiddies and looking for it when it releases. it’s such a sweet idea to teach kids to deal with their grumpies. i’m a sucker for beautiful illustration and this book was gorgeous! thank you for the opportunity to review this one!

This is a charming book about processing emotions in a healthy way. Emma is grumbling that she wasn't allowed to go with her brother to a party - a pirate party no less! While her parents take her brother to the event, Emma stays with her grandmother. Her grandmother recognizes why Emma is unhappy and uses an inventive way- accompanied with healthy conversation- to process those feelings. The author includes directions for building a paper boat as well as a cautionary note about putting too much into waterways.
Thanks to Charlesbridge, Susannah McFarlane, NetGalley for this ARC.