Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
I liked this book a lot. The whimsical steampunk-ish illustrations are brimful of charming details that could keep any adult or child reader engrossed for hours -- a truly inspired mix of whale, fish, bird, and ship imagery. The story is an ambitious blend of light and heavy, realistic and dreamy: it concerns a small boy, Finn, whose grandfather has recently passed away in his old age. Finn reminisces on his loving relationship with his grandfather, a raconteur whose fantastical stories nourished the young boy's imagination. In what is ultimately revealed to be a dream, Finn builds a boat and undertakes a solo nautical journey, assisted by a talking fish guide, in the hopes of reuniting with his grandfather in the paradise where "ocean meets sky"; along the way, he encounters some visually lovely mythic islands populated by book-reading birds and giant shells. In the end, his mother affectionately wakes him up for dinner; though he is never able to reunite with his grandfather in the way he most desires, he is sustained in his bereavement by the power of imagination and the loving presence of his family.
By the way, it is worth mentioning that Finn, his mother, and his grandfather all have Asian facial features and the dinner Finn wakes up to is a traditional dumpling dish. As someone who grew up in a time when Asians were very rarely represented in English-language picture books (other than as oddities), and even more rarely represented in English-language picture books created by authors of Asian heritage, I absolutely loved this unobtrusive integration of Asian characters and Asian cultural elements into the book.
(Part of my informal "Goodreads Reviews of Quality Whale-Themed Picture Books" series.)
By the way, it is worth mentioning that Finn, his mother, and his grandfather all have Asian facial features and the dinner Finn wakes up to is a traditional dumpling dish. As someone who grew up in a time when Asians were very rarely represented in English-language picture books (other than as oddities), and even more rarely represented in English-language picture books created by authors of Asian heritage, I absolutely loved this unobtrusive integration of Asian characters and Asian cultural elements into the book.
(Part of my informal "Goodreads Reviews of Quality Whale-Themed Picture Books" series.)
Loved the creative, interesting story that touches on grief and the love that lives on. Loved the beautiful illustrations. Ocean Meets Sky sparks the imagination, highly recommend!
Gorgeous as always when done by the Fan Brothers and what an amazing adventure. How can one not like Library Island too?! Fabulous story of wonder and imagination that will captivate kids!
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautifully illustrates a child grieving/missing his grandparent. Imaginative & creative.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Grief
A lovely picture book that celebrates familial bonds, as a boy honors the memory of his grandfather by constructing a boat: one he will journey on to where the ocean meets sky, based on tales his grandfather told. Explores imagination and contains beautiful illustrations by Eric Fan. - Sara Z.
An absolutely beautiful book. I loved Ocean Meets Sky. It's got wonderful intriguing illustrations and simple but lyrical prose. It deals with loss in a sweet way and left me feeling at peace and comforted. I highly recommend this beautiful book to any kiddo with a big imagination.
So, so gorgeous! This reminds me of the picture books I loved the very best as a kid (one of which I'm trying to find the title of right now... it was an oversize picture book with lots of lush, highly detailed fantasy ocean scenes. Does this ring a bell with anyone?). Really soothing, and it made me get a little teary for some reason.
hopeful
Amazing illustrations paired with a heart warming story about a boy and his adventure. Recommended for K-3