Kids’ Picture Book about Emotions and Feelings

Picture Book Review – The Quiet Ocean

THE QUIET OCEAN

Written by Charlotte Offsay

Illustrated by Abi Cushman

(Beach Lane Books; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

 

The Quiet Ocean cover creatures under the sea.

 

★STARRED REVIEW – School Library Journal

 

Charlotte Offsay and Abi Cushman have created another terrific picture book together called The Quiet Ocean. This one is a companion to The Quiet Forest. Cushman’s illustrations draw readers into the soothing blue ocean with her delightfully silly sea creatures living their best lives, until unexpected havoc turns their world upside down.

The book’s endpapers depict the ocean floor, but it’s not what you would expect (NOTE: Don’t miss the other endpapers after you finish). A bike leans against a rock, across from a beach chair, and a bathtub and a rubber ducky sit alone not far from a harmless (?)-looking pufferfish. After the title page, where there’s a clever glimpse of a yellow fish tail, readers see that same cute pufferfish swimming happily amongst the seaweed and rocks, gliding in and out of the marine algae and seagrasses. Until…

A squid, wearing a shower cap and drinking a cup of coffee, soaks in a tub with a brush in one of his eight arms. As you can imagine, this would scare anyone who saw it, even a sea creature who has lived his life on the ocean floor. The pufferfish’s fright releases ink, and this obviously startles the squid. His once-clean body is now covered in ink! Tension builds.

 

 

The Quiet Ocean int1 pufferfish scaring a bathing squid.
Interior spread from The Quiet Ocean, written by Charlotte Offsay and illustrated by Abi Cushman, Beach Lane Books, ©2026.

 

 

A playful puffer and a startled squid in a suddenly not-so-quiet ocean. Offsay uses cumulative structure in each event, creating a fun read for both the reader and the listener. Splattered ink surprises the relaxed green turtle as he lounges in his beach chair. He falls out of the chair, spilling ice cubes from his glass, and scurries past a dolphin riding his bike. FLAP! SPLASH! The cumulative chaos continues.

The dolphin’s splashing upsets the shark, who is doing what all sharks tend to do — knitting a blanket in a lounging chair. The shark grabs the knitted blanket, which causes the yarn ball to wrap around the chair, seagrass, and rocks; the pufferfish and turtle’s eyes open wide when the shark swims into a wedding cake the whale is meticulously decorating with icing. Oh, what a mess! So … page turns quicken.

A playful puffer, a startled squid, a troubled turtle, a distressed dolphin, a shaky shark, and a wailing whale in an oh-dear-this-is-out-of-control ocean.

 

 

The Quiet Ocean int2 ink frightens a turtle.
Interior art from The Quiet Ocean, written by Charlotte Offsay and illustrated by Abi Cushman, Beach Lane Books, ©2026.

 

 

Havoc turns to calmness when the whale hears the ocean’s song. The shaky shark de-stresses the distressed dolphin, and the troubled turtle soothes the startled squid. Ahhh! Now that feels good.

It’s impossible not to smile while reading this story. Children learn the importance of calming their bodies and minds in stressful moments. It’s a story to share after a difficult day at school, or a funny read before bedtime. Both Offsay and Cushman have created a book teachers will keep on their shelves for years to come. Offsay and Cushman’s long list of children’s books is on my reading list, and I especially recommend this one.

 

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

 

 

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Picture Book Review – Mara Hears in Style

MARA HEARS IN STYLE

Written by Terri Clemmons

Illustrated by Lucy Rogers

(Beaming Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

Mara Hears in Style cover mara sitting hearing wave of sound.

 

 

It’s the first day of school, and Mara is excited to wear her earmolds and hearing aids that are in her favorite colors: hot pink and purple, respectively. But a shadow of doubt creeps into her mind. Will “my new classmates … think my hearing aids are weird? Once at school, Mara’s anxiety grows. Though she can’t understand their words as she walks down the noisy hall, she can read lips. Everyone’s asking, “What’s in her ears?”

 

 

Mara Hears in Style int1 mara struggling to hear in noisy school hallway.
Interior spread from Mara Hears in Style written by Terri Clemmons and illustrated by Lucy Rogers, Beaming Books ©2024.

 

 

Her fears are eased in class when she notices the microphone around Mrs. Lovell’s neck and hears her voice coming through clearly, “like music.” Soon a kind classmate becomes curious about her hearing aids, allowing the opportunity for Mara to make a new friend. 

At lunchtime, though, not everyone’s interaction is friendly. Everybody talks simultaneously, making the cafeteria sound “like a roaring waterfall.” This disturbance makes it impossible for Mara to talk and make more friends. Classmates opt to turn away when Mara finds it challenging to respond to them since she can’t hear what they’re saying. 

Watching Mara navigate the ups and downs of her school day, readers are reminded of author Terri Clemmons’ gracious sharing of her own-voices experience. Certain interactions (like when Mara explains to a classmate why she can easily engage in conversation face to face vs. why she can’t in a loud, crowded room) help those of us outside of this lived experience gain insight into the challenges—and gifts—of those who use hearing aids. “We can start a secret language club!” Mara’s friends say. They admire her ability to read lips and sign and eagerly learn the letters and words she teaches them. 

 

Mara Hears in Style int2 Mara teaching new friends ASL.
Interior art from Mara Hears in Style written by Terri Clemmons and illustrated by Lucy Rogers, Beaming Books ©2024.

 

 

Through a calm, colorful palette, illustrator Lucy Rogers highlights themes of friendship and empathy. Classroom settings are sprinkled with messages encouraging understanding, kindness, and a growth mindset.  

For me, leaning into curiosity instead of jumping to fear and being open to learning are the biggest takeaways from this multi-layered book. Pages include American Sign Language depictions and an alphabet spread in the backmatter.

  • Reviewed by Armineh Manookian
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Picture Book Review – Looking for Happy

 

LOOKING FOR HAPPY

Written by Ty Chapman

Illustrated by Keenon Ferrell

(Beaming Books; $18.99; Ages 5-8)

 

Looking for Happy cover a boy and his different moods.

 

 

Author Ty Chapman says, “Some days, Happy is hard to find,” and that’s the theme in Looking For Happy, a heartfelt picture book about a Black child who is usually happy but on this day he struggles to shake the blues.

Digital animator and illustrator Keenon Ferrell introduces the story with a vibrant blue visible outside the window beside a smiling boy listening to music and dancing. He’s happy at this moment in time. But the next page depicts a new day, and the smile is missing from his face. “Today, though, nothing makes me happy.” The reader sees that there isn’t always a reason for feeling sad, but the boy tries his best to escape his gloomy mood. He reads a book about fighting dragons, another about scuba diving, and then a book about space. Nothing. His brain can’t focus. This is very relatable.

 

Looking for Happy int1 a boy listening to music at home.
Interior spread from Looking for Happy written by Ty Chapman and illustrated by Keenon Ferrell, Beaming Books ©2023.

 

Even though his little sister is laughing in front of the television he can’t crack a smile. He’s just blue. The day continues as he spends time with friends but he’s just not feeling it so he goes home. Lying flat down on the living room couch, he tells Grandma he’s not happy and with sweetness and support Grandma replies that “everyone feels like that sometimes.” She suggests they go for a walk.

 

Looking for Happy int2 a sad boy on sofa watched by his grandma.
Interior spread from Looking for Happy written by Ty Chapman and illustrated by Keenon Ferrell, Beaming Books ©2023.

 

The neighborhood park is filled with older kids playing basketball and an elderly woman walking her fluffy brown dog. Everyone looks happy but the boy is still feeling sad inside. They continue their walk, holding hands, searching for something to put a smile on his face. The boy describes his feelings as rocks in his chest. Chapman brings words to feelings that are often hard to describe. The boy wants to go home but then hears a wonderful sound. Illustrations of musical notes float through the playground and the boy runs towards the sound.

Ferrell’s art reflects his African American heritage and love for music with the park musician playing the saxophone. “You have a song you want to hear?” the man asks with Grandma whispering the name of her grandson’s favorite song in his ear. This is when the story begins to change. We see his body move with the beat of the music and a smile appears on his face. Grandma joins in and together they sing and dance. “The rocks in his chest are gone.”

 

Looking for Happy int3 boy and his grandma at park.
Interior spread from Looking for Happy written by Ty Chapman and illustrated by Keenon Ferrell, Beaming Books ©2023.

 

This thoughtful tale conveys how music helps to remove bad feelings and models for kids that “sometimes a happy song is right around the corner.” Chapman’s literary accomplishments are quite impressive and his writing in this story flows like the notes from a saxophone. What a great lesson showing that sometimes there isn’t always a reason for feeling a little down and that in those cases, maybe we all just need time to pass or to hear an uplifting tune. This is not only a lesson for kids but a lesson for anyone needing comforting words to get them through a difficult day.

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

 

 

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