HELLO, OCEAN!

Greetings and salutations abound in this ode to sea and shore.

On a gray morning full of fog, a tan-skinned, dark-haired child runs pell-mell down a beach, an orange pail in hand. “Hello, wind / hello, fog // hello, skip / and hop / and spin!” Treasures abound in the surf and the sand, whether it’s foam and kelp or a beautiful moonstone. The youngster continues to welcome various aspects of the seaside biome until the little one comes face-to-face with detritus washed up on the shore: “Oh.” After the initial shock, the child and the rest of the family begin to clean up the trash together. That done, there are birds to wave to and warm breezes and an orange setting sun to savor. With text comprised almost entirely of greetings, the book evokes an appreciation of nature, particularly oceanside beaches, while still acknowledging the harm that sometimes befalls them. Luyken eschews proselytizing, her young protagonist instantly understanding the problems with human-made trash and opting to do something about it. Meanwhile, the color orange permeates these pages, appearing both as natural elements (the sun) and unnatural (a single washed-up flip-flop). Inks, paints, pencils, and more help to bring to life this seaside escapade, the cool foggy morning burning away to a day of sunshine.

Say hello to your new favorite beachside read.