The Lonely Boats — Anna Nadler; Michael-James Russo

In The Lonely Boats, a young boy named Michael recalls happy summers visiting his Grandma Rose in Hattie's Harbor with his family. One particular summer, he sees two boats in the inlet and asks his dad if they are lonely. Michael's dad explains to him that the boats are not lonely but simply waiting to go to the sea. He tells the story of a boat-builder named Garth who built two boats from felled oak trees and named them Kitty and Lou. Kitty and Lou were good friends who liked to talk and share stories. When a hurricane threatens the villagers, Kitty and Lou spring into action carrying the villagers to safety. When they lose track of each other while rescuing the town, Garth helps Lou find Kitty. The boats are reunited and the townspeople praise the two boats for saving everyone. The Lonely Boats teaches children the importance of friendship, teamwork and loyalty and is published under RainbowKidz, an imprint created to promote self-esteem in children that are gay or part of an LGBTQ family.