Yak and Gnu

Yak and Gnu written by Juliette MacIver and illustrated by Cat Chapman (2015)

Yak and Gnu set out down river singing a sea song for just the two of them…Yak in his black kayak and Gnu in is blue canoe. ‘There’s nobody else like me and you. No one else but you and me can float a boat or sail the sea.’ Then they learn that many others can float a boat or sail the sea. They meet a goat in a boat, a snail who can sail, a rat and her clan on a catamaran, and many others. As a matter of fact, they see an ocean cruise full of yaks and gnus. They are disappointed to find out that they are not the only ones who can float a boat or sail the sea. But they do agree ‘there’s nobody else quite like you’.

 

Little ones often think they are the only beings in the universe (except for mom and dad). Just like Yak and Gnu, they learn that there are many others who are just like themselves in their own special ways. And it’s fun to go out and meet these other little people in the park, at school, or in the neighborhood. Pretty soon, they learn that they are unique even though there are others like themselves.

This would be a fun day to build some unique boats and test them in the water. Which ones float best? Have a race… blow on your own boat with a straw trying to get your boat across a finish line without capsizing.

Penny Boats Try out different designs using only aluminum foil. Then test each design to see which one will hold the most pennies without sinking.