Paper Boat, The

At dinner time, a little girl quietly rescues ants from drowning in a bowl of sugar water set as a trap for them. The girl’s kindness is repaid when the ants lead her family to safety and avoidance of capture, hardship, or death when enemy soldiers invade their country. The ants themselves face hardships, including drowning, dehydration, and predator attacks but eventually both humans and ants are united in a new, safe land. This engaging wordless picture book deals with issues of courage, resilience, facing challenges, hope, self-preservation, and helping others, and lends itself to an array of activities, including discussion and sharing of perspectives, journal writing, and art projects.