My Ocean Is Blue

Darren

Ashley

A young girl's poetic exploration of the enchanting ocean she loves.“This is my ocean” the young girl begins as she heads over the dunes with her mother. Then as they pass the whole day at 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.” Though “mostly it's blue.” 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 Lebeuf 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. The bright richly colored cut-paper collage illustrations by Ashley Barron add a captivating visual texture and depth to the story. The portrayal of a girl with a physical disability enjoying and actively participating in a day at the beach encourages all children to do the same in their own lives while also offering a character education lesson in adaptability. This book has strong curriculum ties to primary nature units and life science lessons on oceans and the seaside and it offers a perfect focus for nature-based education and outdoor classrooms.>