bob's ocean is a story about a fish unraveling the mysteries of oneself. it is most enjoyable, truly, because it is with drawn pictures of bob and the events happening to him. it was a fast read as this book only like a 32 page story. bob's ocean is to be known as a children's book, which is agreeable and amazing as it tackles about identity and consciousness of one's surroundings. but i think it would be best if this were to be read with the children's parents due to the writing being to deep at most cases and it can be quite difficult for children to decipher the meaning of it though thinking can also stimulate their minds.

aside from all of this, i found this book interesting and i would recommend it to parents mostly. thank you to NetGalley once again and to the author of this book <3

I enjoyed this book about Bob and Ocean. I believe it is very deep in its meaning and most will not get it. I think we don't believe what we can not see and this is one of the metaphors being taught. I am not sure what age this book is intended for but think it has a place especially when dealing with mental illness or when trauma is involved for someone. The world may not see what has happened to you and that's ok sometimes we have to see it for ourselves.

Bob the fish spends his days going to work and discussing philosophy with his friend Mike. They continue to debate the existence of the ocean. Then, one day, Bob is caught by a fisherman and released. While many don't believe his story, a fortune teller helps Bob to understand that the ocean is all around him. This was much deeper than what I usually expect from a picture book. It works well as a springboard to philosophical discussions with kids. It's not the kind of book that would be become a favorite picture book to read over and over. But, that's not it's intention. It's meant to make you think.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Beautifully illustrated, though I wish the interior had been colored like the cover.

I know some are saying the book is obscure, and the moral isn't really laid out clearly. I can't help wonder if that wasn't on purpose. The book would certainly spark conversation, and that's not bad.

I'm hovering between a 3 and 4, so I upgraded to 4.

I really loved the illustrations in this one! Really well done and really cute. The story was ok and enjoyabe!

Oh! Bob’s Ocean sure is a pretty place !
The illustrations in this book are beautiful.
Allegories. Thing is, there are so many possible meanings,
I read this alone and could very much take it at face value - A day in the life of Bob.
Then I read it with my son and his children and we saw various meanings and depths to those meanings.
Those who are looking for a read aloud for small children would find a gem here.
This was a launch pad for discussion, but still the lesson as received here feels incomplete.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I don’t really know who this book turns to. It looks and feels like a children’s book but the message was not for a child.

I really do not understand these biblical based unyielding stories which are having no base and no moral in true sense. There is a big illogical ambiguity in this allegory. Whole concept was very dillusional for it was hard to follow the direction to which the story moving.

Why there is a job thing for fishes?
Why Bob have been caught in the fishing rod and droped back to waters?
What kind of self realization in knowing that they are already in Ocean?

Even if this was humor with metaphor, I must say it is very very bad. Ocean could be life or god or anything but no clarity to it. Such a bad interpretation.

Picture-books mainly targeted, keeping children in mind, but this is the main con here that it is so difficult to make them understand the allegory in an easy language. Illustrations were simple and good as per storyline.

A children's Bible story worth reading every month. 20 pages in all with a lot of hard truths to be thankful for. this is perfect for any parent to read monthly to their child. So many topics and endless conversations come from these 20 pages. If you're a doubting Thomas, this story is for you.
I just reviewed Bob's Ocean by Robert Lund. #NetGalley

This was a cute story. I enjoyed illustrations. I love that this story was told from the point of view of a fish.

Bob’s Ocean NetGalley Review

The illustration on the cover was what first caught my eye. I enjoyed the idea of a book being allegorical - as this could be used as a teaching tool. Unfortunately, I do not feel this is an option for me to present to students.

Pro:
-I enjoyed the ocean theme. Approachable and fun.
-Drawings were pleasant.
-Overall, smooth to read the author’s writing.

Neutral:
-I thought the idea of the fish going to work at an office was fun, and funny, at first. Given the rest of the story and how it appeared to present more serious, I don’t know if this was the author’s intent - which then made it odd.

Con:
-Hard to follow and understand the overall allegory. Too abstract for myself as an adult. This would be difficult to present to children.
-Illustrations would have been more enjoyable in color.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review.

Bob’s Ocean caught my eye because it was marketed as children’s allegory. Allegory is my favorite genre and the premise of the book sounded intriguing.

Ultimately, this is not a title I feel comfortable recommending to my audience, but I will share both positives and negatives in the interest of presenting a balanced review.

Positives:
The premise is original. This is the first allegory I’ve encountered with a fish protagonist. I also liked that Bob would go to work, which was a humorous twist.

As far as illustrations go, I liked the coral/background ocean elements.

The synopsis was also quite promising, and it’s what made me want to read the book.

Negatives:
I agree with what other reviewers are saying. The message was hard for me to grasp, even as an adult who likes allegory. I think “The Ocean” is a reference to God, with Mike being an atheist, but if that’s the case, I do feel weird about Bob learning this from a fortune teller. I also feel that this theme could have been developed in a stronger way.

This is more personal, but the nature of Bob’s journey was also hard for me to read about, especially with the illustrations. It made me a bit squeamish.

The point of this book was obscure. I didn’t feel it was child friendly. Also I would have preferred the wonderful illustrations to be in color.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a great little read. This book is something both short and sweet! Highly recommended for anyone interested in tackling the big philosophical questions of life with a fun intriguing twist. It will get you thinking of the things that really actually matter in life. 5 stars and two thumbs up!

Thank you author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC. I like the concept of this story and the meaning behind it. The illustrations are pretty, but I would’ve liked to have some color, like the cover. Overall, the writing fell a little flat for me.