There are sailboats on the bay as I work on this post, and while they are beautiful, whether small or tall, I have a special fondness for tug boats and ferry boats.

My cousins have a boat ... a Nordic Tug ... I was unable to find a book (other than a maintenance manual) on the Nordic Tug, so please, do a google image search and see what they look like. It reminded me of an old favorite (and I'm betting a good number of you know what it is) ... Little Toot! With pictures and story by Hardie Gramatky, this has been a favorite children's book since 1939! Little Toot is a 'young tug' who loves to make figure 8's. The 'grown up' tugs look down on this and ignore the youngster. Sadly, in a funk, if you will, Little Toot drifts out onto the open ocean where he discovers an ocean liner in distress. The outcome will change his life.

For a simple, really simple, book on tugs, and what they do, I'm adding another children's book here: Tugboats (from a series called Mighty Machines), by Matt Doeden. As with most kid's books, there are great photos, including one that is truly amazing. At the end there are internet connections for more information and activities.

Tugboats on Puget Sound by Chuck Fowler and Captain Mark Freeman is full of archival photos of tugboats from the 1800's to 2008. Tugboats with sails, military tugboats, tugboats that fight fire, move bridges, and guide great ships in to the harbor are all here in this well done local history book. (Images of America is a series that "celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country." Look for others, they are worth it). Carefully researched and well written, the text with the pictures is excellent.

From canoes to steam ships to diesel engines; luxurious interiors (complete with spittoons) to spare and functional; private companies to the state ferry system, Puget Sound Ferries From Canoe to Catamaran: an Illustrated History by Carolyn Neal and Thomas Kilday Janus is a nicely written history of the ferry system. Be sure to check out the chapter on the Kalakala!

In sharp contrast to Puget Sound Ferries is Crossings on the Ferries of Puget Sound, by Michael Diehl. Brief text and color pictures recreate what it's like to be on the ferry at all times of the day throughout each seasons (although, surprisingly, very little rain). The pictures are wonderful! For me, this was a 'two cup of tea' book.

Another book from the Images of America series (and just as good) is Ferries of Puget Sound, by Steven J. Pickens. From the 1950's to 2008 there are pictures of the Ghost Fleet (retired ferries) to the newer, bigger boats now in service. From wooden hulls to steel, the design has remained pretty much the same as has the familiar green and white paint. The traditional whistle blast (one long, two short) has been in use for more than a century. Again, great photos and text.

Early in our friendship Tall Reader and I discovered that as kids, we both wanted to work on a light house figuring we'd have lots of time to read!

A well known book in this area is The Light On the Island: Tales of a Lighthouse Keeper's Family in the San Juan Islands, by Helene Glidden. The author lived with her family on Patos Island from the age of 5 to 15 and the book is told from that perspective. There were 13 kids! The lighthouse job would provide them with a house (rent free), cows, pigs, chickens, and room for a large garden. (And, no way for the kids to get too far from home). It was 25 miles to the grocery store. In a row boat. Like Little Heathens, this is a wonderful memoir of a time long gone.

Reading Hermit With Dog