brooke
hartman
john
joseph
brooke
hartman RE D CO M ET PR ES
john
joseph S • BR OO K LY N
One little
FISHING BOAT
Rocking to and fro. Floating in the gentle waves, Sloshing and slow.
! y d a e t s t i Hold ! y d a e r Motor’s Start it, one, two, three— Going out to fish in the wide, blue sea.
One little
FISHING NET
Spooling it along. Drifting through the briny deep, Sturdy and strong.
lopping! p e r a s k Cor hors dropping! c n A
Ready as can be, For a catch of fish in the wide, blue sea.
One tiny
PUFFIN BIRD
Flapping through the sky. Dressed in feathers black and white, Spiffy and spry.
! g n i p p i Z
Div
in
g!
Dippi g! n
Nimble as can be, Searching for a snack in the wide, blue sea.
One frisky
OTTER PUP
Wants to take a peek. Cozy in her fluffy coat, Sassy and sleek.
g ! n i t a o l F Flipping!
Sliding!
Slippin g! Playful as can be, Searching for a snack in the wide, blue sea.
One speckled
HARBOR SEAL
Joins our little drift. Flippers swishing side to side, Stealthy and swift.
Twis t
ing ! T wirl
ing!
n i v g! a e W g! n i l
r i h
W
Graceful as can be, Searching for a snack in the wide, blue sea.
BELUGA
One white pod Comes to check us out. Rising through the frothy waves, Supple and stout.
! g n i p
r i Ch g! n i s Cha
R
olling! ! g n i ac
R
Cheerful as can be, Searching for a snack in the wide, blue sea.
One giant
ORCA WHALE
Giving them a scare! Drawing close . . . closer still . . . Stopping to stare!
Pitching!
! g Plungin ! g n i p a e L
g n ! i g n Lu
Hungry as can be, Searching for a snack in the wide, blue sea.
One gloomy
THUNDERCLOUD , Menacing and gray. Water rising high and low, Sloshes and sways.
Tossing! Tumbling! Roaring!
Rumbling!
Stormy as can be, Everywhere we look in the wild, dark sea.
One little
FISHING BOAT, Solid and secure. Huddle close, everyone! Steady and sure. Ropes are staying! Anchors weighing!
Safe as we can be, On our little boat in the wide, blue sea.
One passing
SALMON RUN
Darting by so quick. Wriggling near our fishing net, Silver and slick.
Set net lugging! Salmon tugging! Count them, one . . . two . . . three . . . Fish for you! Fish for me!
Fish for all of us in the wide, blue sea.
AUTHOR'S NOTE There are all types of fishing boats in the world! This One Little Fishing Boat, also called a skiff, is great for a day of adventure on the water, but it’s mostly designed for catching fish . . . lots and lots of big, tasty fish! Fishermen on these boats often use long nets called gill nets. The nets are set in the water and kept afloat by cork buoys, and are sometimes also anchored to the beach or sea floor. When schools of fish try to swim by, they get caught in the net and . . . gotcha! People have used set nets to catch fish long before boats had engines or motors. In many cultures and families around the world, set net fishing is a tradition and way of life passed down through many generations. Because set nets stay in place and allow other animals to swim around them, it can also be a more sustainable way to fish.* Some nets are even biodegradable; if they’re accidentally lost, they’ll eventually break down so they won’t pollute the water and keep catching fish. In Arctic waters, set nets are mostly used to catch salmon and sea trout. Many marine animals love to eat these tasty fish, too, including puffins and other sea birds, seals, belugas, and orca whales. If you’re ever out on a little fishing boat, these curious critters may pay you a visit. So be sure to say hi and leave some fishy snacks in the ocean for them! * https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165783623002588 https://redsalmon.com/our-fish/
GLOSSARY
SPECIAL THANKS
ANCHOR: A large, heavy hook attached to a rope or chain used to secure a boat in place.
Bristol Bay Chamber of Commerce PO Box 224 King Salmon, Alaska 99613 https://www.facebook.com /BristolBayChamber
BOW or PROW: The front, often pointy part of a boat. BUOY: A floating object used to keep other things afloat or mark a location on the water’s surface. Buoys used to line gill nets are called corks. CLEAT: A metal prong for tying ropes to. DECK: The flat part of a boat you can walk on. ENGINE or MOTOR: A machine that uses fuel to power the boat. HELM: The wheel used to steer the boat. HULL: The curved bottom of a boat that helps it float. LIFE JACKET: A vestlike jacket that helps you float in water and should always be worn on a boat. RUDDER: Either a flat blade at the back of the boat or a lever on the boat’s motor, used to steer. SET NET: A fishing net that is anchored in place in the water, also referred to as gill net.
Cook Inletkeeper 35911 Kenai Spur Hwy #13 Soldotna, AK 99669 Inletkeeper.org Alaska Migrant Education Education.alaska.gov/esea/titlei-c NOAA Fisheries Fisheries.noaa.gov Alaska Department of Fish and Game adfg.alaska.gov
STERN: The back part of a boat. One Little Fishing Boat • Text copyright © 2026 Brooke Hartman • Illustrations copyright © 2026 John Joseph • Published in 2026 by Red Comet Press, LLC, Brooklyn. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2025946854 ISBN (HB): 978-1-63655-204-0 ISBN (EBOOK): 978-1-63655-206-4 26 27 27 28 29 30 TLF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
RedCometPress.com
BROOKE HARTMAN is an Alaskan mom and
award-winning author of children’s books, including All Aboard the Alaska Train (also from Red Comet Press) and The Littlest Airplane. She and her family spend much of their summers in Bristol Bay, Alaska, where they catch nets full of salmon from one little fishing boat. Visit her at brookeahartman.com.
JOHN JOSEPH is an award-winning artist, illustrator,
elementary school art teacher, and community leader. He has illustrated several #1 New York Times–bestselling books, including Time for School and Little Blue Truck. He has previously collaborated with Brooke Hartman on the children’s books All Aboard the Alaska Train and The Littlest Airplane. He lives in Colorado with his wife, two sons, and a German shepherd. Visit him at johnjosephillustration.com.
From PUFFINS to WHALES, adventure awaits aboard ONE LITTLE FISHING BOAT on the wide, blue sea. Also available:
$18.99 US $25.99 CN £13.99 UK ISBN 978-1-63655-204-0
51899
9 781636 552040 Cover Illustrations © John Joseph • Printed in China
A “It’s hard to imagine a more appealing picture book for introducing young children to the varied landscapes and wild animals of Alaska.” –Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
RedCometPress.com