SPACEMANATEE!

Could there be a manatee on the moon?

“Anna Lee Manatee / lives in the sea. / Her body is slow, / but her spirit is free!” After gazing at the sky, she decides that there is someone who looks just like her, a manatee—a magical manatee queen who explores outer space, at that—on the moon. When her friend, the loon, disagrees, Anna creates a rocket ship from kelp to prove him wrong and do some exploration herself. Atmospheric, purple-toned illustrations depict Anna’s outer space adventure. After an exhilarating ride, she reaches the moon, but there is no manatee to be seen—except herself. Hmmm….She gets an idea to leave her mark. When Anna returns to her ocean home, her friend the loon studies the sky. Will he see a manatee on the moon now? It’s a safe bet! While the overall story, aimed at inspiring youngsters to try new things, seems a trifle forced and pedantic at times, the rhyming text is bright and charming, the characters are appealing and energetic, and the message is clear and accessible, perhaps best suited for a therapeutic context or for intentional social-emotional skill development. A note from clinical psychologist Julia Martin Burch explains that self-confidence comes about through exploration and mastering skills and challenges and offers ways for caregivers to foster such opportunities. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A whimsical, enjoyable tale designed to encourage self-confidence.