THE JELLYFISH BUS

In this South Korean import, an unhurried jellyfish finds just the right occupation.

In the upper reaches of an ocean where jellyfish serve as speedy buses for other sea creatures, the aptly named Slowpoke loses his job. Quickly bored by his “vacation,” he spends his days traveling. Down, down he goes to the darkest depths of the sea. There, he meets strange creatures who are eager to visit the Ocean Night Bazaar, a marine amusement park. Soon Slowpoke’s working as a bus again, ferrying new friends to their destination and having adventures along the way. The bottom dwellers are grateful for the opportunity to explore new settings, while Slowpoke’s happy to have a renewed sense of purpose. Though the story is fantastical, the creatures of the deep are recognizable and intriguing. They behave just as any child would, screeching with glee on the sea swing and pouting when it’s time to go home. Alternating between comic book–like panels and full-bleed pages, Lee’s lively illustrations emphasize the variety of creatures in the ocean, most of them engagingly cheerful. The spreads are filled with details to pore over; the bazaar is especially eye-catching, depicted over three spreads. Much of the text is in speech bubbles as passengers comment on what’s going on; the basic facts of Slowpoke’s journey are rendered in a sentence or two in a different font.

An imaginative exploration of ocean depths.