SAIL

Sailing the ocean as a metaphor.

Using a rhyming text, this bolstering picture book presents life’s journey as setting sail on the unknown ocean and exploring and facing the challenges therein. There’s very little originality in the text: “Seek and you will find”; “Powerful wisdom is found in the deep”; etc. Despite—or perhaps because of—this, it all rings true. And as a book to encourage young readers to face life’s challenges and have the courage to explore, it presents its case well and does deliver unmitigated encouragement. But just as the narrative lacks originality, the illustrations have their own limiting factor, and that is their visual sameness. All are full-bleed, double-page spreads with the exception of the final page, and the palette is predominantly blues and weak browns—cool colors that visually keep readers at a distance. The diluted red color of the shorts of the protagonist (portrayed with light skin and brown hair and eyes) isn’t enough to liven up the overall coolness. A welcome exception is the two-spread sequence illustrating the treasures of the deep: Strong reds and oranges provide lively contrast to the dark background, and their warm colors are effective in bringing readers in visually. The last page, headed “Some Things To Think About,” feels like an afterthought, with a list of bromidic questions, such as, “What are you grateful for?” (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Encouragement abounds; originality doesn’t.