AQUA PAWS

A cat conquers his fear of crabs while indulging his love of the ocean in Allieri’s illustrated children’s book.

Aqua Paws is a ginger feline who, unlike most other cats, absolutely adores the water. He only has one issue with his beloved ocean, and it’s the fact that crabs live in it: “Their tiny claws scared him, and he was always afraid one was going to pinch him.” Aqua Paws is so afraid of them that he even jumps when his turtle friend, Purple Beak, surprises him, believing he’s a crab. The two embark on a boating trip to look for undersea treasures to keep, as well as litter to collect (and dispose of). Aqua Paws loves all the sea life he finds, locating pearls and encountering puffer fish. He’s having a blast when he suddenly happens upon a giant crab. He’s scared at first, but the crustacean doesn’t seem to care much about him at all. Purple Beak swims off to find a shiny object in deep water, and Aqua Paws is left alone, looking for treasure closer to the surface. He spots litter that he’s determined to clean up, but he gets stuck inside its plastic rings instead. Purple Beak is nowhere to be found—and who should approach but the giant crab who frightened Aqua Paws earlier? Allieri’s picture book, following My Cat Thinks He’s a Puppy (2022), is a cleanly structured tale that addresses prejudice and the importance of keeping the ocean clean; readers may find it reminiscent of Kelly DiPucchio’s Oona and the Shark(2022). The two main concepts tie together nicely in Aqua Paws’ scenes with the crab, allowing the story to be fun and educational without coming off as dry. Aftermatter includes tips on the ocean and for making crab-themed crafts. Maris’ beautiful full-color illustrations are rendered in a variety of media that appropriately includes watercolor for the undersea scenes. Her use of light and shadow make the crab seem ominous and the ocean appear glorious while maintaining a bright, varied color palette.

A delightful kids’ book with dual themes of ocean conservation and overcoming bias.