Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue!

by Michael Panzner, Brooke Beaver (Illustrator)

Follow the adventure of three wonderful friends – a little girl and twin unicorns – who journey to the beach and end up saving a family of fish. After rescuing them, the trio realizes the sea and the sand also need their help, and they join with others to clean things up. Aided by special unicorn magic, they restore nature’s beauty and show how to make our world a better place.

Dive into a vibrant and captivating read-aloud adventure! Bursting with color, this tale celebrates friendship, compassion, and kindness. Join our inspiring young heroes as they unite to preserve and protect our precious environment.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

Published August 28, 2023

About the author

I’m a long-time freelance writer who’s always been a child at heart. Inspired by the countless stories I’ve shared with my children and grandchildren, I craft tales designed to entertain, spark the imagination, and instill values like kindness, courage, empathy and perseverance. Having lived and worked in various locales, including the U.S. Northeast, North Carolina, and London, England, I now reside in Tampa, Florida, with my wife, Catherine.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book that shows what can be accomplished if you work with your friends! I really enjoyed the emphasis on togetherness; seeing a problem and taking the initiative to find a solution. This would be a great book to take to the beach and point out to children that we all need to pitch in and help clean up our trash. Sure to be a favorite that will be a 'repeat' read!

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute way to introduce kids to some of the issues in our oceans.
It has unicorns with magical powers, friendship goals and a message of care for our environment.
I wish the plot was a little more fleshed out, it felt rushed, but it is for children so I may be reaching.
Big thanks to Michael Panzner for sending me a copy.

[Michael Panzner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was great! (full disclosure: I wrote it 😀)

Of course, unbiased reviews from unrelated parties are always appreciated!

[Magaly | Catchy Book Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was adorable in both its illustrations and story. My kids (ages 7 and 5) were fans of this one at bedtime. Some of our favorite things from the story were “cleaning the ocean” and “that they helped”.

From my 7 year old —

“I liked that they cared about the environment because that doesn’t just harm plants and animals; it harms us too.”

Overall, this story was a hit at bedtime and encouraged discussion among my littles!

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three friends head to the beach for a picnic, but they realize that the place is covered in trash, and the pollution is harming the creatures who live there.

This isn't an original concept, nor does it delve deeper into the reasons for pollution, but it's just about right for a preschool book. The illustrations are cute and sweet, and the ideas are actionable.

Thank you to BookSirens and the Publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 year old daughter Ainsley & I loved it! 🦄🌊

Ainsley's thoughts:
"My favorite characters were the unicorns!" (Josie & Johnnie)
"My favorite part was when all the animals and people were cleaning up the ocean"
"You have to keep the ocean clean because the animals can get trapped and die."
"It was really good and had pretty pictures"

My thoughts:
Ainsley was able to read this story well & understand what was going on. I love when a book can bring my daughter and I into a deeper conversation about real life & this book did just that! This book was well written with beautiful illustrations!

Thank you for the ARC & this opportunity! 🖤

[Catherine Craig (Angelic Light) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magical children's book, which my daughter and I loved reading. Josie and her unicorn friends Johnie and Rosie go to the beach and have a great time together there. They see some fish who are trapped, and they help them to escape. They then clean up the beach, and fill the sea with beautiful unicorn energy.

The images in the book are great, as they are so colourful and cute.

This is a lovely, easy to read book, which teaches children positivity, mindfulness, kindness, caring, and how to look after our world. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Thacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley.

I read this because I wanted to read but didn’t have a ton of time to do so.

It was a nice little read with a positive message. The kindle version was a little wonky. On one page, part of the words were right on the edge. On other pages it fixed with the subsequent page.

[Sarah Gunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love the beach? My Kinders certainly do! And how tragic is it when our beautiful coastline is littered with rubbish?

"Ocean Rescue" by Michael Panzner empowers young children to believe they can make a difference, and inspires them to take action. The wonderful characters (especially the unicorns!) draw young children in, the plight of the fish family tugs on the heartstrings, and the beautiful resolution gives hope for the future.

A great story to promote sustainability and encourage children to care for the environment.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends out for a picnic see things that they can help with. There are fish trapped in a discarded net that they free and litter to pick up and put into containers. Everyone feels good for doing the right thing!
The illustrations by Brooke Beaver are cute, delightful, and colorful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on PDF from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Paige Panzner-Kozek · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former teacher and camp counselor I am always eager to find fresh new children's literature that addresses world issues in an approachable manner for young children. I read books all the time, share with the children I tutor and neighbors' kids, where we live by the beach. The illustration sets a wonderful and colorful tone to have an adventure - for kids of all ages - and to see the power of teamwork and perseverance. My neighbor's 3 year old son was excited as I read it, turning the pages to see if Rosie and her unicorn team would succeed. Global warming makes the need for visual books and art that support important life lessons for children to think about their impact on the world, their relationship with the sea and how to make a difference. There are great uses of expressive language, expressions and vivid concepts about caring about the entire ecosystem. I strongly recommend this book!

[Jiji · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid five stars for this one!

I love the illustration style, clean yet pleasant to the eyes. Not to mention how beautiful it is. Love it!

Apart from that, i also love the writing style, it is easy to understand and not boring. It is organised neatly alongside respective illustrations to which makes the reading easier, especially for younger childrens.

I think it could be a good learning material for kids because not only it incorporates magical elements but also highlights real life issue (i.e: pollution & how to handle it)

Hence, it would be a perfect resources in educating childrens.

Thank you netgalley for the e-copy given in exchange of honest review, totally love it!

[Kameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.



Rosie lived in a magical land with her two best friends, who were extraordinary unicorns. Josie and Johnnie had sparkling manes and glowing horns and could make beautiful magic together.

Rosie loved going on adventures with her BFFs. One day, the trio decided to have a fun-filled day at the beach. They laughed, built sand castles, listened to the seagulls’ caw, enjoyed delicious food, and collected loads of seashells. However, when they went closer to the water’s edge, their day took an unexpected turn. Josie, Johnnie, and Rosie were stunned to see multiple fish trapped in a net and knew they had to help the struggling fish.

Josie and Johnnie used their magical powers to loosen the net’s knots while Rosie untangled the fish and set them free. The trio’s actions were kind and brave, and the fish’s smiles illustrated their appreciation for the help.

Unfortunately, what happens to these defenseless fish occurs every day, and we need more brave people to step up and protect our sea friends. As the story progresses, children will notice that not all dangers of the sea have teeth. Fish must avoid nets and pollution, like plastic bottles, cans, sunglasses, toys, bags, etc. Thankfully, kids have three magnificent role models demonstrating the importance of cleaning our beaches and keeping trash out of the water.

Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue! educates readers on the dangers of trash poses to sea life. It encourages YOU to take action by helping preserve our seas and beaches by picking up garbage and disposing of it in their proper bin. It (hopefully) prompts children to be ocean conservationists.

Josie and Johnnie had magic on their side, but we can do what they did. With everyone’s assistance, all seas can be crystal clear! Our beaches can be free of litter.

Share Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue! with your 3-7-year-old and become an advocate for our friends under the sea.


(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)

[Kelly | Bookmarks 'n Blankets · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet, whimsical, and magical story about a girl and her twin unicorn best friends who go to the beach, enjoy their time together, and then help a family of fish escape from a net they are caught in, and then work together to clean up a dirty beach and ocean filled with trash and litter.

I enjoyed the illustrations. They are bright and vibrant. I loved all the colors used. It’s very visually appealing, especially for kids. I also loved the font used for the text.

I also appreciated the messages of cleaning up the environment and preserving nature for everyone to enjoy, but I did knock it down one star for being a bit too on-the-nose with its messaging. It could’ve been a tad more subtle and not felt so preachy. But it’s still a great message to teach to young children. I also enjoyed how everyone worked together to clean up the ocean and the beach - a great lesson about teamwork.

This would be the perfect beach read or summer reading book while on summer vacation. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to the author, Michael Panzner, for reaching out to me for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

[Lady Orpheon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a good book to read for young kids. It's art style would not necessarily overwhelm them as it would be easily digestible and clear for them. It's a simple read that can help naturally impart to your child a love ad care for nature and that in the face of any problem, it is better to face it with a sense of agency instead of trepidation or defeat at the enormous size or gravity of any issue. It teaches them how one can healthily maneuver through trials, which is at the sight of an issue brewing in front of you, do something about it and that friends make the journey more fun and light in the end.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Michael Panzner for a free autographed copy of this book! Wow, I just received it in the mail and had to read it right away. This is a wonderful story about a girl named Rosie and her twin unicorn friends that work together to save fish tangled in nets and then join other friends to clean up the beach. What a wonderful lesson and really positive story, I’m eager to read it to my grandchildren! Again, thank you for this treasure of a book!!

[Kseniya · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue” by Michael Panzner is a heartwarming tale that beautifully emphasizes the significance of environmental conservation. This delightful story not only entertains but also educates children about the importance of teamwork in cleaning up our oceans for the sake of future generations. The illustrations are simply captivating and add depth to the narrative. This book undoubtedly deserves a solid 5-star rating.

[Mary Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley for this free e- copy of Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue.This is a feel good children’s book about Rosie and her 2 unicorn friends Johnnie and Josie who try to make the ocean a better place by rescuing fish and cleaning trash in the ocean. This is a great book to teach preschoolers about respect and empathy for ocean life.Great illustrations!

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a big hit with my 4 year old daughter and also with me! My daughter loved the story of Rosie, Josie and Johnnie. The beautiful colors and illustrations kept her/our attention and as a mother, I loved the lesson of being environmentally conscious and working together to keep our water sources and beaches clean for the sea life that live in them!
We hope to read more stories featuring these sweet unicorns and their friend Rosie!

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book doesn’t just include childhood favorite animals; unicorns, but also teaches kids the importance of keeping the earth clean and how if everyone does their part it makes a huge impact! 5 stars!!

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of cute pictures of unicorns. The story was good. I think kids would really like this one. I enjoyed reading it.

4 stars

[Kris Reguera · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed these environmental activists and doers in the shape of unicorn twins and their human friend. A great lesson for children.

[Sandra Sembar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. My granddaughter is going to love this book as a new reader, and she loves unicorns.

[Melissa Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought of grabbing this for my daughter because she loves everything involving unicorns! She really enjoyed the pictures and the story. It was very cute! She said she recommends this book to everyone!

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue! is a children’s picture book about saving the ocean and sea creatures from pollution. Rosie lives with twin unicorns Josie and Johnnie. One day they head to the beach and it isn’t long before they come across a family of fish stuck in a net.

The story is about how the waste in the ocean is hurting the animals and Rosie and the unicorns, plus lots of other creatures help to clean the waste and make the ocean all sparkly and clutter-free again.

The story is a quick read but contains a big message about pollution in our waters. The illustrations are bright, colourful, and eye-catching and I’m sure little ones will love the book containing not one but two unicorns.

I do feel though that the story gave the impression that Rosie and her friends had cleaned up the ocean as there was no mention of them now needing to clean up other parts of it. I also feel that the author missed a trick in not leaving a message for children to ask them to help clean up some of the rubbish when they visit the beach or to make sure they take their litter home with them, etc.

I do have one tiny gripe though and that is the use of the phrase I can’t stand – ‘fruits of their labor’ in a book aimed at young children. Most won’t understand what this means, nor do they need to know about it at such a young age.

Overall, a magical, shimmering book that I can see becoming part of a series where Rosie and her unicorn friends help save the planet.

[Joey Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to BooksGoSocial / Twin Unicorn Publishing and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Twin magical unicorns and their best friend Rosie head to the beach for a nice relaxing day, then suddenly they see how bad the beach looked, trash everywhere and fish caught in a net, together they know they must fix it.

Wonderful story, wonderful, I loved the message throughout about ensuring that the beach it is clean and safe and just picking up rubbish is a good place to start. I loved that the unicorns and Rosie wanted to make sure everywhere was cleaner and safer and didn’t stop until they finished. A really wonderful message to help encourage others to do the same.

Their friendship was sweet and I loved how they were playing and enjoying themselves first, making sweet sandcastles and enjoying their picnic. I liked that it’s bowed just an ordinary day before they noticed that bad things on the beach. The illustrations were really pretty I loved seeing all the animals throughout the pages.

A really wonderful and sweet story of caring for others, keeping beaches clean and safe for the animals, and also having fun and knowing when you’ve done a great job. It’s really sweet and a great book to read with your young ones to help them be mindful and that even they can help keep everything clean.

[NBPB Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosie and her unicorn friends had a picnic at the beach. While enjoying themselves, they noticed a family of fish trapped in a net, struggling to escape. The trio sprang into action and carefully untangled each fish, freeing them from the net. Once they had released all the fish, they looked around and realized there was still more work to be done at the beach.

We picked the book for its cover. This book tells the story of Rosie and her friends as they help the fish family in the sea. Through this tale, children learn that they have a role to play in conserving our environment. The colorful illustrations perfectly match the narrative, enhancing the overall storyline.

In Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue!, written by Michael Panzner and illustrated by Brooke Beaver, children are inspired to care for the environment and support one another. The book encourages a message of cleanliness and conservation, urging readers to keep nature pristine and lend a helping hand to those in need.
For full review and ratings, visit NBPB Reviews

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reasonable, if flawed, early environmental book. Rosie and her two magical unicorn besties go for the day at the seaside, and have a wonderful time until much later on when they spot some fish caught in a drifting bit of net. I mean, I guess at least it's drifting – possibly the pesky three made a whole fisherman's family starve to death instead, in which case they're no heroes of mine. Anyway, when they finish rescuing the fish they suddenly realise the beach (that had been so pristine) and the sea are full of gunk and litter and suchlike. So they and (despite the beach also having been empty) lots of other well-minded people set to and make a difference.

So yes, this is positive in showing people actively doing something good for the environment, and pledging to carrying on protecting the nature around them after that day. But the story, in pitching so young, is full of all the issues and illogicalities I mentioned above, and in implying that you might need a pair of magical unicorns to clean the oceans perhaps not that greatly realistic a help after all. If you want the gaudy fantasy of this, well fine, but if you want to get small people thinking about important issues with logic and facts from a young age, this is only counter to that. I leave it with you.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue is about three close friends. Josie's happiness through having special unicorn twins in her life is evident as we can see the excitement while they chatter and decide to have a day at the beach together. At the beach, during a blanket spread out for a picnic, Josie sees some fish in the water, in distress, caught by a net! The action begins with that rescue, and the next observation, "Oh, no!" the ocean is full of trash! Thus begins a group that cares enough to help with others joining in.
As the story moves along, Michael's words and Brooke Beaver's colorful and detailed illustrations will support a conversation about small actions making big effects. There may have already been some things that have happened in the past for examples? Perhaps if with your own children or with students, a parent or teacher can have some ideas ready for action?
My only wish for a change is that ideas for local or national organizations could have been added in an "If you want to help?" list at the back. However, the story will inspire for everyone to go on a search!
Thank you to the author for my copy!

[Papergirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the help of a little magical sparkle and a small community, this picture book shows an ocean rescue and beach clean-up in action.

Children are never too young for books and never too young to learn. Some of the primary topics that plague society at the moment are environmental concerns. With his book, Josie, Johnnie, and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue!, Michael Panzner creates a lesson aimed at 3–7-year-olds about taking responsibility for their waste.

Rosie heads to the beach for a picnic with her twin unicorn friends, Josie and Johnnie. Whilst enjoying their time at the beach, they notice a family of fish struggling in the ocean. They were entangled in a discarded fisherman’s net and needed help to free themselves. As they freed the fish, the three friends caught sight of a larger problem. The ocean and beach are littered with rubbish and the water is murky. They set about cleaning up the area for others to enjoy in the future.

For a full review, visit thebooknook.papergirl.info/josie-john...