THE JELLYFISH BLUES

When a witch casts a spell on birds and sea life, it’s up to a young beachgoer to fix the problem in Sanders’ picture book.

At the beach, Dawn notices clouds shaped like sea creatures. A sudden wind sends her into the waves, where she’s rescued by Teensy Weensy Tom, a boy dressed in leaves who flies a magical ship. Together, they discover the Wicked Water Witch has transformed all ocean life—including the jellyfish, guardian of the sea—into clouds, and the birds into sea creatures. The jellyfish wants to cry (by raining) but notes that “when all the rain is gone, there won’t be anymore me.” Dawn and Tom confront the witch, who captures Dawn; the jellyfish then weeps, and realizes it’s the way to break the witch’s spell. Sanders’ soft watercolor-and-ink illustrations are simple and charming—particularly those of sea creatures, although humanoid characters are less polished. As in Sanders’ The Baby Tomato Fairy (2014), there’s plenty of whimsy and magic here. But although the text-dense adventure features a lively hero willing to risk her life for new friends, it offers little in the way of character development or real-world grounding; Dawn never wonders if her parents are worried when she’s out in the storm, for instance.

A tale that’s light on structure but full of fanciful ideas.