Offsay, Charlotte. Quiet Ocean, The. Abi Cushman, Illus. Beach Lane, 05/2026. [36]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-66597-517-9. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
In this clever cumulative story, a pufferfish sets off a chain reaction when it pops a bubble, startling a squid, who scares a turtle, and so on. The text has a pattern that may remind some readers of Audrey Wood’s The Napping House (Houghton Mifflin, 1984) and includes alliteration and onomatopoeia which will engage readers. The cartoon-style, full-color illustrations, accomplished with digitally colored pencil drawings, show sea creatures with expressive facial features in the ocean environment. Sure to be a great readaloud because the audience can call out the repeating phrases as they accumulate. A companion to The Quiet Forest (2024).
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool