I Ship

A Container Ship's Colossal Journey

  • Interest Level: Kindergarten - Grade 3
  • Reading Level: Grade 2

Made of steel, / colossal, / strong, / I ship around the world.

Come aboard a massive container ship as it pulls into port, loads up with cargo, and heads out to the open ocean. The ship’s voyage includes starry skies and stormy seas, swift currents and unforeseen delays. Through it all, the crew keeps working—with goods to keep the world going, they must carry on.

Rhythmic text from Kelly Rice Schmitt and delightfully detailed illustrations from Jam Dong provide a riveting look at the journey of one mighty ship.

Format Your Price Add
978-1-7284-7682-7
$14.99
979-8-7656-0200-3
$24.99
Available at all major wholesalers and distributors. Save 25% off list price on hardcovers and ebooks when you buy direct! Digital purchases will be accessed on Lerner Digital Bookshelf. An account will be created for you after purchase.
Interest Level Kindergarten - Grade 3
Reading Level Grade 2
Genre Picture Books, Social Studies
Copyright 2023
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Millbrook Press ™
Language English
Number of Pages 40
Publication Date 2023-10-03
Text Type Informational Fiction
BISACS JUV041020, JUV006000
Dewey 387.5/442
Dimensions 10.625 x 8.875
Guided Reading Level O
Features Author/Illustrator biography, Awards, Bibliography/further reading, Glossary, Original artwork, Reviewed, Teaching Guides, and eSource

Author: Kelly Rice Schmitt

Kelly Rice Schmitt is an author of STEAM children’s literature. She holds a B.B.A in Finance and Chinese from the University of Notre Dame and is an advocate for girls in STEM, business, and other fields with gender gaps. She can be found in North Carolina helping other traders grow their businesses, writing for children, and exploring, singing, and creating with her husband and young children.

Illustrator: Jam Dong

Jam Dong was born in Shanghai, China. She has an MA degree of Moving Image at University of Arts London and graduated from MFA Illustration Practice of Maryland Institute College of Art in 2021. She likes to use bright colors and simple shapes to build the imaginary world inside her mind. The beauty of nature provides her with inspiration all the time. She is a freelance illustrator based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!

I Ship

Made of steel, / colossal, / strong, / I ship around the world. Come aboard a massive container ship as it pulls into port, loads up with cargo, and heads out to the open ocean. The ship’s voyage includes starry skies and stormy seas, swift currents and… View available downloads →

I Ship: An Interview with Author Kelly Rice Schmitt

Cast off on a journey across the ocean with a container ship as a guide in the delightful picture book I Ship: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey by Kelly Rice Schmitt and illustrated by Jam Dong. The crew encounters a stuck ship in a canal, reroutes, and weathers a mighty storm, but… View →

Awards

  • SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Winner, Winner, 2024

Reviews

School Library Journal

“This is bliss for any child who loves boats, for units on global transportation, or for anyone who has ever asked how this all works.”—School Library Journal

The Horn Book Magazine

“Readers follow every step of the (fictional) container ship Carolina, which is carrying freight from a port in Asia to delivery in France. Carolina acts as narrator, initially providing details about the process of docking and loading, while informative cutaway illustrations display the diverse cargo. Dong’s clear, flat, geometrical digital illustrations also illuminate size.”—The Horn Book Magazine

Kirkus Reviews

“An informative peek at our global infrastructure’s major lifeline.” —Kirkus Reviews