Hello, Ocean!

Author Corinna Luyken On Tour
Illustrated by Corinna Luyken On Tour
Look inside
A day at the beach is full of celebration, helping out, and especially discovery in this energetic and beautiful new book by the New York Times bestselling creator of My Heart and The Book of Mistakes.

Hello, sand. Hello, toes. Hello, ocean. Hello, hello, hello!

In this glowing portrait of beachtime joy, a girl greets the many things she encounters, celebrating them all. Razor clams and sand dollars, the splish and splash of water, logs and dune grass and . . . uh-oh, garbage too. When she discovers a knotted pile of debris, she and her parents work to get it cleaned up, then go on with their busy, happy day at the shore.
© Corinna Luyken
Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of Abc and You and Me; The Tree in Me (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Indie Bestseller); My Heart (A New York Times Best Seller); and The Book of Mistakes (which The Wall Street Journal called “sublime”). She is also the illustrator of In the Dark (Aug 2023) and Nothing in Common, both written by Kate Hoefler; Patchwork (A New York Times and Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022), written by Matt de la Peña; Something Good and Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse, both written by Marcy Campbell; and Weird Little Robots, written by Carolyn Crimi. She was raised in Oregon, California, and Hawaii; and studied dance improvisation, poetry, and printmaking at Middlebury College in Vermont. She now lives in Western Washington, near the Salish Sea, where she also likes to dig in the dirt, surf, and read with a cat (or two) on her lap. View titles by Corinna Luyken
"With text comprised almost entirely of greetings, the book evokes an appreciation of nature, particularly oceanside beaches, while still acknowledging the harm that sometimes befalls them. Luyken eschews proselytizing, her young protagonist instantly understanding the problems with human-made trash and opting to do something about it. Inks, paints, pencils, and more help to bring to life this seaside escapade, the cool foggy morning burning away to a day of sunshine."—Kirkus

"Brayers, brushes, plastic netting, sponges, and mono-printing techniques give acrylic gouache, ink, and pencil scenes organic, breezy textures. Amid the limited-palette backdrops, scribbly looking sketches of the youth’s gleeful antics supply a likable ebullience on every page." —Publishers Weekly
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

About

A day at the beach is full of celebration, helping out, and especially discovery in this energetic and beautiful new book by the New York Times bestselling creator of My Heart and The Book of Mistakes.

Hello, sand. Hello, toes. Hello, ocean. Hello, hello, hello!

In this glowing portrait of beachtime joy, a girl greets the many things she encounters, celebrating them all. Razor clams and sand dollars, the splish and splash of water, logs and dune grass and . . . uh-oh, garbage too. When she discovers a knotted pile of debris, she and her parents work to get it cleaned up, then go on with their busy, happy day at the shore.

Author

© Corinna Luyken
Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of Abc and You and Me; The Tree in Me (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Indie Bestseller); My Heart (A New York Times Best Seller); and The Book of Mistakes (which The Wall Street Journal called “sublime”). She is also the illustrator of In the Dark (Aug 2023) and Nothing in Common, both written by Kate Hoefler; Patchwork (A New York Times and Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022), written by Matt de la Peña; Something Good and Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse, both written by Marcy Campbell; and Weird Little Robots, written by Carolyn Crimi. She was raised in Oregon, California, and Hawaii; and studied dance improvisation, poetry, and printmaking at Middlebury College in Vermont. She now lives in Western Washington, near the Salish Sea, where she also likes to dig in the dirt, surf, and read with a cat (or two) on her lap. View titles by Corinna Luyken

Praise

"With text comprised almost entirely of greetings, the book evokes an appreciation of nature, particularly oceanside beaches, while still acknowledging the harm that sometimes befalls them. Luyken eschews proselytizing, her young protagonist instantly understanding the problems with human-made trash and opting to do something about it. Inks, paints, pencils, and more help to bring to life this seaside escapade, the cool foggy morning burning away to a day of sunshine."—Kirkus

"Brayers, brushes, plastic netting, sponges, and mono-printing techniques give acrylic gouache, ink, and pencil scenes organic, breezy textures. Amid the limited-palette backdrops, scribbly looking sketches of the youth’s gleeful antics supply a likable ebullience on every page." —Publishers Weekly

Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

Mental Health Awareness Month Resources

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and addressing student wellness and mental health is critical to help children learn how to manage emotions, develop healthy identities, empathize with peers, and pursue individual goals. We created thematic guides and book lists to help foster important conversations to build an inclusive environment where emotions matter. Explore our social emotional

Read more

Books for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Each May, we honor the stories, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Below is a selection of acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators to share with your students this month and throughout the year. AANHPI Creators – Elementary School titles  

Read more