My Ocean Is Blue

by Darren Lebeuf, Ashley Barron

Overview

A girl’s poetic exploration of the ocean she loves. “This is my ocean,” the young girl begins as she heads over the dunes with her mother. Then, passing the day at the seaside, she lyrically describes her ocean in simple, sensory detail. It is both “slimy” and “sandy,” “sparkly” and “dull.” It has wonderful sounds, as it “splashes and crashes and echoes and squawks.” And there are so many colors, from “rusted orange” to “polished green.” Though “mostly it’s blue.” Nothing escapes the girl’s careful observations. And at day’s end, she can’t wait to for her next trip to the beach. This enchanting nature companion will awaken the explorer in every child.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781525305153
Publisher:	Kids Can Press
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	67 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Darren Lebeuf is an award-winning photographer with a background in design and visual communication. He is the author of My Forest Is Green and My Ocean is Blue. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.;Ashley Barron is an award-winning illustrator who specializes in cut-paper collage. Her creations can be found in children’s books, newspapers, set designs and shop windows. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

... enjoyable ...—Booklist

A joyful marine romp.—Kirkus Reviews

Ocean lovers of all ages will appreciate the vivid colors and beautiful text that recounts a lovely and relaxing day by the sea.—School Library Journal, starred review

My Ocean is Blue ... strikes just the right note as Lebeuf and Barron share a day at the seaside through a poetic text that is beautifully mirrored by exquisite watercolour, pencil crayon and collage illustrations.—The Globe and Mail

Not a story but an experience, with a spare text and much to look at in the illustrations ...—CM Magazine

Kids and adults alike will gain a new appreciation for the ocean after reading My Ocean is Blue ...—Hakai Magazine

From the Publisher

★ 02/01/2020

K-Gr 2—From moment to moment, the ocean is constantly changing and shifting; it is at once recognizable and never the same. One sunny morning, a little girl and her mother make their way down the boardwalk to spend the day at the beach. As the day progresses, the mother and daughter explore the many sensations at the seashore: from textured sand and slimy seaweed to the unique smells and sounds. After a long day of discovery, it is time to go home, leaving them to wonder what the ocean will be like tomorrow. This primarily visual story is told with the help of only a few sentences, presented in a lyrical style. Each image resonates with many sensory experiences. The illustrations are a combination of collage style and visible brush strokes, representing the textures of the ocean. The little girl is shown walking with crutches in several of the images. VERDICT Ocean lovers of all ages will appreciate the vivid colors and beautiful text that recounts a lovely and relaxing day by the sea.—Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library

School Library Journal

2019-12-18
A companion to Lebeuf and Barron's previous outing, My Forest is Green (2019).

A young tot with short blond hair, pale skin, and a wondrous fascination with the ocean looks forward to spending the day at the beach. Incidental to the text but prominent in the illustrations, the child also uses forearm crutches. Cut paper that's been textured with watercolor, acrylic, and pencil crayon creates the scenes of pebbled sand, frothy waves, and quiet tide pools. The child sees the ocean as a multitude of opposites. Sometimes it is "big" (with a vast, endless horizon), and sometimes it is "small" (a tiny hermit crab pokes out its head). Sometimes it is "dry" (a large piece of driftwood), and sometimes it is "wet" (a splashing water fight). Lebeuf gradually builds to more lyrical phrases. Sea gulls, whales, and dolphins playfully cavort while a motorboat slides by: "My ocean splashes and crashes / and echoes and squawks. // My ocean laughs and hums." The real delight, besides the intentional focus on detailed observations, is the ease with which the child's disability is slipped into the illustrations. At times, the crutches are laid aside, showing the tot swimming, kneeling, or playing in the sand. Any possible preconceived limitations are dashed—instead, childlike wonder and curiosity shine.

A joyful marine romp. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews