We all want to find our purpose in life, and kids are no exception. In The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob by Brooks Olbrys, Bob is a boy who is hoping to discover his purpose in life. He realizes his dream is to be a marine biologist, and he knows that he will have to work hard to achieve that goal. He enlists the help of some marine friends to find out exactly what steps he will need to take to make his dream come true.
The first thing I noticed when I opened this book was the beautiful illustrations by Kevin Keele. This book is visually stunning! I sat down to read this with my three-year-old, and I found myself just as pleased with the story. The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob models exactly the kinds of values I want to teach to my children – purpose, vision, goals, attitude, and persistence. The book is about 48 pages long and is broken into five chapters. It was a little long to read in one sitting with my preschool-aged son, but we read it over two nights and he absolutely loved it. He loved all of the different sea creatures featured in the book, and the pleasant cadence of the rhyming story. I loved the values the book teaches. Bob is encouraged to follow his dreams, but he’s reminded that it will take hard work, and he will face challenges. Bob’s friends remind him that he has to set goals, work hard to achieve them, and never give up.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes from the book:
Set a goal from your vision. And if you believe, you might be surprised by what you can achieve. Pinpoint your desire and keep it in mind. Then act in the present, and soon you will find that tomorrow’s not here yet and yesterday’s past. So take action today like it may be your last. And remember, stay calm and be confident too! As you head for your goal, it will head toward you.
I absolutely recommend this book to any parent to read with their preschool-aged or elementary-aged child. It is a beautiful and engaging story that teaches the value of goal-setting and going after your dreams. I found that I was inspired and encouraged at the end of the book, and I think my son was, too. We had some great conversation about what he wants to be when he grows up (firefighter), and what he can do to achieve that goal. This is a book that we will definitely keep in our collection for a long time. This is part of an upcoming series, so I look forward to reading future books about Blue Ocean Bob. The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob website has more information about these books!
I received a copy of this book for review. All opinions are 100% mine.
