Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen

Copyright © 2000 by Chris W. Van Dusen

When I began my blog last year, I immediately knew which of our favorite books to recommend first: If I Built a Car  by Chris Van Dusen.  My kids and I both so love that imaginative story, especially Van Dusen's signature, bright 1950's cartoonish illustrations.  We are huge fans of all things Van Dusen in this house and we own every one of his books.

Well, back to the story at hand ... Mr. Magee decides to take a boat ride. He packs a lunch and sets out with his adorable little dog Dee.

Things go awry pretty quickly, when a bored and playful baby whale spies the boat and uses his blow hole to push the boat into the air.

The situation goes from bad to worse when a gust of wind sends the boat, with its inhabitants, sailing through the sky where it becomes lodged in a spruce tree.

The baby whale hightails it outta there, but thankfully Mr. Magee and Dee are eventually dislodged from the tree by a pod of very clever whales.

Like all of Van Dusen's books, the illustrations are a delight to view, and the story will definitely elicit giggles. The rhyme is upbeat and just fun to read.  Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee is the first in a trio of books with Mr. Magee -A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee and Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee being the second and third books respectively. For existing  fans of Van Dusen, if you have sharp eyes you will have spotted Magee and Dee make a cameo in If I Built a Car.