Little Toot and the Loch Ness Monster

At the time of Gramatky's death in 1979, this book about the spirited little tugboat was nearly completed. The final draft was completed by his wife Dorothea Cooke Gramatky and his daughter, Linda Gramatky Smith. Little Toot's adventures began in the New York harbor 50 years ago; now he travels to Loch Ness, Scotland, to find out what a real monster looks like. When Little Toot arrives at the loch, he's greeted by a group of unfriendly--and threatening--boats also looking for Nessie. Frightened and alone by nightfall, he is suddenly confronted by a huge serpentlike monster with spines on its back. Nessie is quite different than what he expects; Little Toot not only keeps her secret from the boats in the loch but also those at home. Although the drawings are not polished and refined, the luminous watercolor illustrations evoke the dauntless independence of Little Toot. The text flows smoothly; the three-way collaboration will not disappoint fans of the earlier Little Toot stories. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)