Skip to Main Content

About The Book

A boy’s small paper boat—and his large imagination—fill the pages of this wordless picture book, a modern-day classic from the creator of Pardon Me! that includes endpaper instructions for building a boat of your own.

A little boy takes a boat made of newspaper out for a rainy-day adventure. The boy and his boat dance in the downpour and play in the puddles, but when the boy sends his boat floating down a gutter stream, it quickly gets away from him.

So of course the little boy goes on the hunt for his beloved boat—and when the rain lets up, he finds himself on a new adventure altogether.

This seemingly simply story from Daniel Miyares is enriched with incredible depth and texture that transcend words.

About The Author

Photograph © Daniel Miyares

Daniel Miyares has illustrated books such as Bambino and Mr. Twain and Waking Up is Hard to Do. Pardon Me! was his first adventure as an author/illustrator, followed by Float. He earned a BFA in illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design in 2002 and has since worked for Hallmark Cards Inc. Daniel currently lives near Kansas City with his lovely wife and their two small children.

About The Illustrator

Photograph © Daniel Miyares

Daniel Miyares has illustrated books such as Bambino and Mr. Twain and Waking Up is Hard to Do. Pardon Me! was his first adventure as an author/illustrator, followed by Float. He earned a BFA in illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design in 2002 and has since worked for Hallmark Cards Inc. Daniel currently lives near Kansas City with his lovely wife and their two small children.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (June 9, 2015)
  • Length: 48 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781481415255
  • Grades: P - 3
  • Ages: 4 - 8
  • Lexile ® NP The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

"Lovely and life-affirming."

– Kirkus Reviews

"A visual pleasure."

– School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

"Absolutely stunning."

– Ingram’s News & Reviews for the Youth Librarian

"A visual tale of a small moment made spectacular in the eyes of a child."

– Horn Book (STARRED REVIEW)

"Skilled draftsmanship and smart pacing distinguish Miyares’s visual storytelling...It’s a moment of childhood captured in multiple dimensions."

– Publishers Weekly

“This will likely become a repeat favorite, particularly for little ones still learning to read on their own.”

– Booklist

“A stunning wordless tale . . . Float is a standout.”




– USA Today

[A] perfect wordless book . . . perfectly paced to the end when the weather clears and a neat plot twist soars.”

– The Boston Globe

“Ingenuity, exhilaration, loss, consolation and return to happiness—Daniel Miyares packs all the turbulence of childhood play into ‘Float.’”

– ­The Wall Street Journal

“[E]very square inch of this book is a treat.”

– Huffington Post

Awards and Honors

  • ALA Notable Children's Books
  • CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List PrimaryTitle
  • NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
  • Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee (IN)
  • Georgia Children's Picture Book Award Finalist
  • Chickadee Award Nominee (ME)
  • Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Daniel Miyares