BOAT BOOK

Like Gibbons' Trucks (1981), this is an illustrated catalogue; unlike Trucks, it isn't clearly bested by a Donald Crews' entry (Crews' Harbor has its own problems) and it does have a little shape, a little tempo, a little variety: some organized information, in short, and some signs of life. Thus, we begin with rowboats, kayaks, canoes, and shells--and a separate picture of the oars and paddles that propel them. We see various kinds of sailboats and motor boats, ""boats that help us when there is trouble"" (fireboats, police boats, Coast Guard boats), as well as the inevitable ""boats that carry heavy loads,"" Moreover, there are sailboats racing, and speedboats racing--and they really do look it. (The Coast Guard boat is coming to rescue a woman with an overturned canoe.) So altogether this serves its purpose with a certain dash--even the colors have more character than Gibbons sometimes manages.