Tomorrow, Sailor Sam! — funny picture books to read aloud at bedtime
Funny, gently silly adventure picture books to read aloud at bedtime. Sailor Sam is a cheerful dog who plans to set sail every morning and never quite manages it. Short stories for children aged roughly 3 to 8, about patience, optimism, silly mishaps and trying again tomorrow.
Written by Matthew Lloyd. Find a book by age, bedtime and theme.
The Sailor Sam Book Series
Available now.
Sailor Sam is ready to set sail — but there's a leak on the boat! Or is there?
A warm, funny story about a cheerful dog and his crew who never quite make it out to sea.
Buy The Leak That Wasn't on Amazon
Coming soon.
Almirante Luna comes to visit The Jolly Dingo. Sailor Sam and the crew are determined to make a good impression — which, naturally, does not go entirely to plan.
Questions from the harbour
Is Tomorrow, Sailor Sam! a good read-aloud book?
Yes — it is written to be read aloud, with short lines, silly voices and a repeating joke children join in with. Sailor Sam announces "Today is the day!", something small goes wrong, and the crew shrug and try again tomorrow. Parents tell us children ask for it again the next night.
What are some funny books for a 5-year-old who loves silly adventures?
Tomorrow, Sailor Sam! is a funny picture-book adventure for children around age 5, following a cheerful dog and his crew as every attempt to set sail turns into a small, silly mishap.
Is Tomorrow, Sailor Sam! a silly adventure book?
Yes — each story is a small, silly adventure in Koala Kove where Sailor Sam is determined to set sail and something unexpected gets in the way.
What are some funny adventure picture books to read aloud?
Tomorrow, Sailor Sam! is a short funny adventure picture book designed for reading aloud, with a recurring joke, expressive characters and a new nautical mishap in each story.
Is Tomorrow, Sailor Sam! good for a 5-year-old?
Yes — it suits roughly ages 3 to 8, with the pictures and repeated jokes helping younger children follow the story while confident early readers can join in with the text.
How long does it take to read aloud at bedtime?
About five to ten minutes, depending on how many parrot noises you do. It is a single short picture-book story, so it fits one bedtime without needing to stop halfway.
What age is it for?
It suits roughly ages 3 to 8 — read aloud to younger children, and read alone by confident readers around 6 to 8. Younger children follow it through the pictures; older ones catch the jokes.
Is it funny or is it calming?
Both — it is gently funny rather than loud or over-excited, which is what makes it work at bedtime. The humour is in the mishaps and the crew's deadpan reactions, not in noise or peril.
Is it good for a child who is just starting to read?
Yes — the sentences are short, the words are everyday ones, and the pictures carry a lot of the story. It works well as a shared read where a child takes the repeated lines.
Can teachers use it as a classroom read-aloud?
Yes — it is a short, self-contained story that works for a kindergarten or Reception read-aloud slot. It opens up easy talking points about patience, trying again and not minding when plans go wrong.
What is the series about?
Sailor Sam is a cheerful dog who plans to set sail every single morning and never quite manages it. Each book is one small, silly obstacle in Koala Kove — a leak that isn't, a missing rudder, a bump against the hull — and each ends with the crew deciding that tomorrow will do nicely.
Who are the characters?
The crew are Sailor Sam the dog, Parrot Pip, First Mate Freddy, Kaptain Koala and Deckhand Daisy. Pip does most of the squawking; Daisy does most of the lying down.
Where can I buy Tomorrow, Sailor Sam!?
The first book, The Leak That Wasn't, is on Amazon as a Kindle ebook and can be read in the free Kindle app on a phone or tablet. It is available in the UK store and in other Amazon stores worldwide.
Are more books coming?
Yes — three more Sailor Sam stories are on the way: The Case of the Missing Rudder, An Attack on The Jolly Dingo and The Case of the Missing Anchor. You can join the crew list on this page to hear when each one lands.
What readers say
- "10 out of 10." — Young reader
- "Keep going!" — 10-year-old reader
- "Especially the squawking parrot." — Hugo, age 5
- "She didn't want the story to end!" — Feedback from a 10-year-old reader
- "The boys loved it." — Phil, Dad
- "Want it again for tonight's bedtime story." — Phil, Dad
- "Loved it — both the story and the graphics." — Gaynor
- "Everybody loves the graphics." — Gaynor
- "Very talented!" — Teacher feedback