Yak and Gnu by Juliette MacIver (review)

In this jaunty rhyming story, Yak (in his kayak) and Gnu (in her canoe) take to the water, secure in the notion that “no one else/but you and me/can float a boat/or sail the sea.” That notion is sunk when they meet a sailing goat (“A goat in a boat?/That can’t be true”). And then a snail. And a calf. And a succession of other sailing animals, culminating in a flotilla of gorillas (each sharing boat space with a humpback whale) and “an ocean cruise/full of yaks and gnus.” Fortunately, Gnu points out that friendship matters more than uniqueness, and the two paddle on, singing. While the scansion is a little variable, New Zealand author MacIver packs her short lines with charm. Audiences will delight in the chipper repetition, comic internal rhymes, and rueful cumulative tagline: “There’s nobody else/like me and you! (Well, only Goat, Snail, Calf, Scorpion, Pig, and Rat.)” There’s a touch of William Steig in the line and watercolor illustrations; the animal cast is personable and buoyant (in both senses), and the art embraces the ridiculousness of the seagoing critters (the exultant giraffes in hovercrafts, cool in their shades and leather gloves, are particularly engaging). The waterway itself is peaceful and uncluttered but never dull (birds perch on stumps, windmills dot the banks, fish swim along), making it a solid supporting element. The Seussian silliness of the verse makes this a sure bet for kids looking for something gnu.