Sea Monkey & Bob

by Aaron Reynolds, Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Illustrator)

Overview

Two delightfully anxious friends learn that they can overcome anything—even gravity—in this humorous and heartwarming picture book from bestselling author Aaron Reynolds and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi.

Bob the puffer fish and his best buddy Sea Monkey may be little but they’ve got one ocean-sized problem. Sea Monkey’s terrified he’ll sink straight to the bottom of the ocean. After all, he’s heavy, and all heavy things sink, right? Bob on the other hand is worried that his puffed up frame will float up above the surface. He’s light, and all light things float! How will they stay together when the forces of gravity are literally trying to pull them apart? By holding hands, of course! Sea Monkey and Bob learn that sometimes the only way to overcome your fears is to just keep holding on…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481406765
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	04/25/2017
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.80(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Aaron Reynolds is the New York Times bestselling author of many highly acclaimed books for kids, including Here Comes Destructosaurus!, Carnivores, and the Caldecott Honor–winning book Creepy Carrots!. He regularly makes time to visit schools where his hilarious hands-on presentations keep kids spellbound. Aaron lives in Chicago with his wife, two kids, four cats, and anywhere between zero and ten goldfish, depending on the day. Visit Aaron at Aaron-Reynolds.com.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s writing or art has appeared in over twenty books for young people. She is the award-winning author and illustrator of Where Are My Books?, I Want to Read ALL the Books, and Sam & Eva with Simon & Schuster. Her illustrations appear in books by Judy Blume, Michael Ian Black, and Linda Sue Park, among others. Debbie lives with her husband in Toronto, Canada. For more info, see DebbieOhi.com.

Editorial Reviews

02/13/2017
Ohi’s (Where Are My Books?) puckish cartoons and Reynolds’s (President Squid) fine comic timing light up this story about how friends help each other. Sea Monkey is scared that he’s going to sink to the bottom of the ocean; his friend Bob, a pufferfish, is worried that he will float to the top. Their anxious remarks drift next to them in the water as each friend tries to persuade the other that these outcomes are unlikely. Their genteel debate (“You are making some really good points here”) and dorky, contraction-free diction are funny no matter what they’re saying. “It is happening!” Bob groans. “I think I am floating, Sea Monkey!” “I think I am sinking!” yells Sea Monkey in return. Their solution—they discover that if they hold onto each other tightly, they won’t sink or float—is so sweet and sappy that Ohi paints a passing fish giving them some serious side eye. Young readers and listeners won’t, though: they’ll smile. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. Illustrator’s agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Like Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie books...Just the right amount of silliness enhances the tale of the already comical,
bow tie–wearing, google-eyed Sea Monkey and the bright yellow, puffed-out Bob."

March 1, 2017 - Booklist

"Like Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie books...Just the right amount of silliness enhances the tale of the already comical,
bow tie–wearing, google-eyed Sea Monkey and the bright yellow, puffed-out Bob."

March 1, 2017 - Booklist

07/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—Sea Monkey is afraid he will sink to the bottom of the ocean, and Bob the puffer fish worries that he will float right up to the surface. Their solution? Hold on to each other and never let go. This is a humorous story of friendship and a great way to introduce the concept of buoyancy in a classroom. There are so many extension ideas here, such as a sink or float lesson. Bright illustrations will keep children's attention, though the dialogue-only text could cause confusion without the benefit of a good storyteller using tone and inflection. VERDICT A fun addition to any library and especially as part of a science lesson.—Betsy Davison, Cortland Free Library, NY

School Library Journal

2017-02-01
Sea Monkey (a dapper, bow-tied brine shrimp) and Bob (a green-speckled puffer fish) both face a worrisome underwater plight—density.Surrounded by blue water and colorful corals, Sea Monkey is very concerned. What if his tiny but heavier-than-it-looks frame sinks to the bottom of the ocean? It is dark and scary down there. Bob thinks the idea is absurd, but Sea Monkey's logical list of heavy items such as anchors, tubas, rocks—even dinosaurs—changes his mind. ("You have never seen a dinosaur," admonishes Bob. "That is true. But I'm pretty sure they sink," Sea Monkey fires back.) But now Bob is worried. What if his very light frame floats to the top? There is air up there! He begins to list items that float, and terror seizes both oceanic creatures. But just as their worst fears begin to come true ("It is happening! I think I am floating, Sea Monkey!"), a clever solution stops them in their tracks. Sea Monkey and Bob's wry, deadpan riffs match Ohi's humorous digital asides. The text is told entirely in color-coded dialogue, Sea Monkey's lines printed in pink-outlined white letters and Bob's in green-outlined yellow. The ending feels slapdash given the relaxed pacing of the pair's banter to that point, but readers' funny bones won't mind. A barrel of giggles, exaltation of friendship, and slight science to boot. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews