The sea shore is so much more than just the beach; it abounds with life as varied as barnacles and sea cucumbers. A visit to the coast also brings kites, ferries, fishermen, and so much more. The poems in Eric Ode’s Sea Star Wishes: Poems from the Coast range as widely as his subject matter, including concrete poems, free verse, and rhyming poems both intricately rhythmical and as free flowing as the tides. With creatures as diverse as seagulls and moon snails, and explorations of everything from lighthouses to footprints in the sand, this lovingly-crafted collection of poems is an excellent companion for your next ocean-side visit.
Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt
Twenty whimsical, lyrical, informative poems celebrate life within, on, or near the sea. For example, “The hermit crab,/the hermit crab./He never takes/a taxi cab;/or sails a ship/or submarine;/or rides a motorbike/machine.” Some creatures featured in the verses, such as the gull and octopus, are likely to be familiar, but others, including the limpet and geoduck, may not be. Lighthouses, ferries, and fishing are Ode’s subjects as well. Easy to read, these poems mostly rhyme, and they vary in format and length. Colorful full-bleed illustrations attract the eye, give context, and complement the spirit of the selections. All in all, an engaging nautical collection.
School Library Journal
Ode—a poet, writer, and children’s performer—shares the wonders of the seashore, both natural and manmade, in a collection of 20 poems. The tone ranges from gently observant to comical, but both text and art are at their strongest during the book’s more contemplative moments. A dramatically decorated stunt kite curves through the air like a swallow (“It circles/ and lunges,/ lurches,/ dives,/ climbs,/ and plunges”), and elsewhere, jellyfish rise majestically from the deep…readers, whether coastal or landlocked, should enjoy this lighthearted take on eels, geoducks, tide pool denizens, and more.
Publishers Weekly
Does winter’s cold and gloom have you missing the rugged, wind-swept Washington coast? This book is sure to cure your beach blues. Written by Seattle-area singer, songwriter, author and poet Eric Ode, this book of poems captures life at a Pacific Northwest beach, from swooping gulls and shy barnacles to giant geoducks and regal sea lions, with a ferryboat and lighthouse thrown in for good measure. Winthrop author and artist Erik Brooks’ whimsical and wonderful illustrations make you feel at one with the nature just bursting out of the pages. Bring out this book the next time you’re yearning for the shore, and you’ll have your little ones dreaming of waves and sandcastles in no time.
Red Tricycle
A day at a Northwest beach is brought to life through these poems. Topics are wide ranging. Including sea life such as barnacles, geoducks, crabs, octopus and sea lions. Also covered are beach activities such as kite flying, fishing and sand castle building and beach icons like ferries and lighthouses. Bright fun paintings capture the poems well. This is a must have for schools that are near the shores of the ocean or the Puget Sound.
Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children’s Books
This whimsical children’s poetry book by Seattle-area author and singer-songwriter Ode explores the creatures that bring Northwest coastal shores and tide pools to life. With topics from sand castles to sea cucumbers, the poems, augmented by playful illustrations, highlight the wonders of the seashore, educating and entertaining young children in the process.
Alaska Airlines Magazine
Nicely balanced and perfectly executed, Sea Star Wishes is a delight to read. While the poems themselves might be difficult for kids under preschool age, the combination of word and image makes a great fit for younger school-aged kids who are just beginning their own journey through wishes and dreams and learning about the world around them.
AK on the GO
Whether he muses about the stories told by tracks left in the beach sand or asks what type of royalty lives in a sandcastle or who could possible love an ugly eel, poet Eric Ode not only makes his reader laugh but he also poses some thoughtful questions about life at the seashore.
BookLoons
From seagulls and sandcastles to ferries and fishermen, this whimsical collection celebrates a wide range of seaside sights and sounds. Both lyrical and informative, the poems are as varied as the subject matter, while colorful illustrations bring waves of sea lions, lighthouses, limpets, and even footprints in the sand for young readers to explore. Spending time with these fun coastal poems is nothing short of a day at the beach!
All About Learning Press
Sea Star Wishes: Poems from the Coast has the most delightful poems. They are short and sweet about little things in the ocean like limpets and sea cucumbers and ginormous things like ferries and waves. The neat thing about it though is that my little guys can understand the big poetic ideas in the verses and I’m glad I can talk to them about similes and metaphors and sea life. The pictures are gorgeous and the poems are whimsical…
Emerald City Kids
This lovely collection of poems is accompanied by beautiful illustrations of the sealife and surrounding being described in the poems. The combination of the two makes you feel like you’re standing on the beach yourself, admiring all there is to see. This book is a fun way to introduce kids to both poetry and some of the creatures of the coast!
Growing My Kids Reviews
