Did you ever think that Moby Dick was too long and didn’t have enough pictures?

Well, you’re not alone! Below are two board books which adapt the classic American novel so that it is more palatable for toddlers and lovers of concision and unique illustrations.

First, Moby-Dick, an Ocean Primer by Jennifer Adams, with art by Alison Oliver (Layton, Utah : Gibbs Smith, 2013). Though not exactly a linear text, the book serves to introduce toddlers to nautical words and themes (as well as some choice quotes from the novel) through striking orange and blue illustrations.

Cover, Moby-Dick: an Ocean Primer. Salt Lake City, Utah : Gibbs Smith, 2013 (Cotsen 154079)

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But if you’re looking for even fewer words and even more unique illustrations then Moby Dick, by the twin brothers Jack and Holman Wang, might be for you (Vancouver : Simply Read Books, 2012). This board book economically sums up Moby-Dick in only 12 words. Each word, however, is accompanied by its own needle-felted illustration. This feature makes this book (and the other classic titles in the authors’ series Cozy Classics) really stand out.

cover, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. [Vancouver]: Simply Read Books, 2012 (Cotsen 154780)

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If you enjoy Cozy Classics and want to see more of their illustrations and learn about the creators, check out this interview by Dr. Dana on the Cotsen outreach blog: Pop Goes the Page.