Theodore Too and the Mystery Guest.

Based on the tourist tugboat in Halifax Harbour, which was itself inspired by the CBC Television series that ran until 2001, these titles are sequels to Theodore Too and the Too-Long Nap.

In Shipwreck School, Theodore and his friend Lucy Tug go in search of an adventure and find one. When they visit the school of fish that inhabits an old wreck, they find all the fish trapped in a net and have to devise a plan to rescue them.

In Mystery Guest, we find the same friends trying to figure out clues as to who the famous but mysterious visitor to the harbour must be. They are told that the visitor’s picture is carried in the pocket of most Canadians, and they finally meet the Bluenose 2, whose likeness is on the 10-cent piece.

The attraction of these books to young children are Poplawska’s bold, bright, almost cartoon-like illustrations; Mulder’s simple text; and the adventures of these friendly vehicles. Any story featuring a boat, plane, train, or other vehicle is usually immediately in demand. The Canadian component is strong, portraying life in a busy harbour with the skyline of Halifax in the background. The Mystery Guest contains an addendum detailing the history of the Bluenose 2 schooner.

It is difficult to give inanimate objects real character, and despite the positive qualities mentioned above, the main protagonists are flat and one-dimensional. While one can suspend judgment as the tugboats think, talk, and find solutions and answers to their situations, it is harder to do so as they eat moon cakes in the Shipwreck School or have a picnic with the Bluenose 2.

Despite these qualms, the book will be enjoyed in a variety of settings. Recommended for public and school libraries as well as for individual collections.