Ocean! Waves for All

All the colors of the rainbow are woven into this vibrant and educative ocean book. Chill vibes and text permeate the story, with words like “dude,” “stoked,” and “bro” and the ocean itself personified as the narrator of the story, guiding readers through as a helpful and informative friend. Ocean shares facts and tidbits ranging from the ocean’s impact on earth’s climate, the different tiers of the ocean, the ocean’s inhabitants, and more, finally reaching some “sad news, dudes,” as Ocean lightly touches on the topics of pollution, overfishing, and global warming negatively affecting its waters. The book ends with just a tad bit of a preachy tone as Ocean shares a plea to “together . . . get back in the zone,” yet the playfulness of the book keeps the mood of the book light enough to make the ending more inviting than a detraction from the rest of the story. Litchfield’s dazzling illustrations incorporate a vast use of color in the ocean, going far past the typical blue background and highlighting the array of beauty contained in the ocean’s waters. McAnulty excellently uses the personification of the ocean, along with its “totally tubular” personality, to enhance the approachability of the book, resulting in an enjoyable and gently instructive read that hardly feels like nonfiction until you reach additional reading materials at the end of the book.