Jules Vs. The Ocean, summertime tale on trying and not giving up

It’s the giant toilet flushing. It’s out to get me. Either one of those, or some other thought that just happened due to the weather, tide or my mood was what I thought about the ocean when I was a kid. Tide pools were a different story, my relationship with them has always been pleasant, but that ocean. That’s the subject of Jules Vs. The Ocean, an illustrated book by Jessie Sima. 

Jules Vs. The Ocean continues the nautical theme from her previous books like Harriet Gets Carried Away or Not Quite Narwhal. In this book she highlights the potential fun (and menace) that the ocean can present, as well as, the menace (and potential fun) of older siblings.  

Jules is at the beach with her mom and sister. She’s intent on building the biggest sandcastle to ever grace the sands of that particular coast. Her pink bucket is firmly in tow and with any luck she’ll impress her sister as to the majesty of her granular creation.  

Unfortunately, her sister immediately jets off into the ocean on her Boogie Board and catches some waves. That, plus the ocean is immediately knocking down even her simplest sand sculpture. Just behind Jules there are other people who are creating magical sand castles that are in a different league. It’s probably the vision that Jules has in her head, but the physical manifestation of that just isn’t happening.  

A rogue wave comes in and completely flattens Jules. The world is against her and the ocean is simply doing its bidding she believes. Suddenly her sister comes in, gives her a hand up out of the sand and the two proceed to build the crab abode that’s Jules has been thinking about all along. At least until the waves pick up again, but that’s not the story.  

It’s the fact that Jules got frustrated. She overcame the frustration, tried to work through it and had her sister help out in the situation. The two also got beat down by the ocean, but they had a kick doing so and have the memories that will last them a lifetime.  

Jules Vs. The Ocean is a great good-night book especially for the summer and those kids who are going to the beach. The fact that Jules gets slapped down as she’s trying to do something close to the waves is a memory that kids will experience and parents will remember. The text is simple and to the point; bringing back beach stories from anybody that reads it. The art is playful and loaded with colors, movement and big waves that bring home the feeling of being wiped out when you’re just trying to remain vertical. The book is one of those can be read once as a good-night book or be re-read as you spell out details or to remind young readers of something that they experienced at the beach. Ages 4 through 8 will enjoy the book the most, with those 6 and up being able to read it themselves.

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