Monday, April 13, 2020

My Ocean Is Blue by Darren Labeuf & Ashley Barron (Children's Picture Book Review)

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.




My Ocean Is Blue
Written by Darren Labeuf
Illustrated by Ashley Barron
Published by Kids Can Press
on March 3, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

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Synopsis:
"This is my ocean," the young girl begins as she heads over the dunes with her mother. Then as they pass the whole day by the seaside, she lyrically describes her ocean in simple, sensory detail. It's both "slimy" and "sandy," "sparkly" and "dull". It has wonderful sounds, as it "splashes and crashes and echoes and squawks." And it contains so many colors, from "rusted orange" to "runaway red," "faded white" to "polished green". Nothing the girl experiences escapes her careful observation and appreciation. And at day's end, she can't wait for her next trip to the beach.

Author Darren Lebuef, an award-winning photographer, uses spare text and a rhythmic style to create an evocative read-aloud. The vivid adjectives, both concrete and abstract, will inspire children to try to capture in words what they notice not only at the ocean, but in any natural setting.

Our Thoughts:


My Ocean Is Blue is a simple but lyrical story made up of a series of descriptions of the ocean from a young girl's point of view as she visits the seaside with her mother for the day. 

She observes the ocean and its many differences throughout the day, from high tide to low tide, from shallow water to deep, and more. She points out the colors that can be found if only you look for them, such as red crabs or polished green sea glass.


The illustrations are delightful, with a neat collaged or layered look with fun texture and everything we love about the sea! Especially all the blue! 

The text is very minimal, which makes this a great book for little listeners or beginner readers, and has a calming and peaceful effect. It's the perfect book for introducing children to the ocean or as a great book to bring along on a beach day trip! 




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2 comments:

  1. I love the illustrations, what a sweet book. Thanks for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. I thought so, too! I really love the 'sun glare on the water' technique! :)

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