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Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Do you ever have one of those days when nothing goes right? In Annie Yu’s Ocean’s Creatures, Riley is having a terrible day. His project collapses, he can’t play ball with the others, and he spills his juice all over his shirt. At the end of the day, he asks his grandpa for some words of wisdom. Grandpa takes him to the seashore, and there Riley sees many creatures of the ocean who calmly go about their day with purpose. His walk beside the ocean teaches him calmness, patience, mindfulness, and wellness. Most importantly, “Riley remembered how breathing in deep/ could nurture the calm that he wanted to keep.” He also learned that “Sometimes it’s good to relax and to play./ It makes for a better and happier day.”
Annie Yu’s picture book, Ocean’s Creatures: Wellness Teachers, is a calming story in itself that teaches readers of all ages how to remain calm even when everything in life appears to be going wrong. Told in rhyming verse, the story follows Riley through his disastrous day at school, to the calming influence of his grandpa and their special visit to the seashore, and the valuable lessons he learns. The plot completes a full circle when Riley goes back to school the next day, totally mindful of all that surrounds him, both good and not-so-good. The illustrations are superb and add another dimension to the story development. A simple, yet powerful story – very calming and soothing as it teaches some valuable lessons.
