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The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job

Brooks Olbrys

3.96 · Rating details · 53 ratings · 45 reviews

Join Blue Ocean Bob on his journey to protect all life in the Sea of Kerchoo

Blue Ocean Bob loves the sea and wants to dedicate his life to protecting it. He begins a new job as assistant to Mary Marine, the Island of Roses’s leading marine biologist, and with his hummingbird guardian, Xena, by his side, works hard to carry out his duties to the sea creatures both on and of ...more

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Hardcover, 56 pages

Published April 14th 2015 by Children's Success Unlimited

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· 53 ratings · 45 reviews

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Jun 30, 2015 Sarah Elizabeth rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, r2r-complete, contemporary, kids

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Greenleaf Book Group and NetGalley.)

This was a rhyming kids story about a boy who wanted to be some sort of protector of the sea. Unfortunately though, the only word I can think of to describe this book is tedious. My four-year-old didn’t even make it through the first page without finding something more interesting to do, and I struggled to get through the first chapter, and had to take a break before ...more

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Jan 25, 2015 Jerry Hillyer rated it really liked it

Title: Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job

Author: Brooks Olbrys

Illustrator: Kevin Keele

Publisher: Children's Success Unlimited, LLC

Year: 2015

Pages: 51+

Blue Ocean Bob Website

[Disclaimer: In exchange for my fair and unbiased review, I was provided an ARC by the publisher through NetGalley. The views expressed here are mine alone. I was not required to write a positive review and I was in no way compensated for the review. All images belong to the copyright owner.]

Blue Ocean Bob wants to be a marine ...more

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Oct 08, 2015 Penny Minding Mom rated it it was amazing

On the first day of school I asked my children what they wanted to be when they grew up. My daughter wants to be a hockey player and my son wants to be a monster. They know what they want to be, but when I ask them how they plan on making it happen neither one knows. I know their ideas of what they want to be will change but the habits and principles that will take them to their own personal successes will remain the same.

“The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob – A Challenging Job” is the story of Bob ...more

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Apr 23, 2015 Autumn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2015

We received this book to give an honest review.
So when I saw this book I was like I know K will like this. It deals with the ocean and animals two of his favorite things. It also rhymes from the get go so that is something I know he enjoyed.
Then I saw it was a chapter book and I was thinking okay I am not sure he is going to enjoy this as much as I thought. I was wrong. I was only going to read one chapter a night so we could stretch the book out. Nope he insisted I read two chapters one night a We received this book to give an honest review.
So when I saw this book I was like I know K will like this. It deals with the ocean and animals two of his favorite things. It also rhymes from the get go so that is something I know he enjoyed.
Then I saw it was a chapter book and I was thinking okay I am not sure he is going to enjoy this as much as I thought. I was wrong. I was only going to read one chapter a night so we could stretch the book out. Nope he insisted I read two chapters one night and then three the next night. So that is what we did.
Bob is a young boy whose job is to safeguard the ocean. And he has different jobs within each chapter. In Chapter one he is to help Kodi a baby seal learn to eat and swim, he questions if he can even do anything as he doesn't scuba dive. With the help from Doc the turtle he gets an idea and it works.
In chapter two he is off to clean up some garbage and when he does his net goes awry and lands on a pelican! How scary right the reason it landed on the pelican was because of Xena and Bob not just once person. Bob and Xena go to see Earl the old clam who gives them a lesson on what happened.
Chapter three there is a storm brewing and it is up to Bob to pass the message long to dolphins, whales and porpoises. Of course Bob doesn't know how to pass the message along until Doc the turtle gives him advice on what to do. We learn that dolphins use echo location to communicate. How cool right? In the end everyone works together to pass the message along.
Chapter four after the storm the weather was still a bit cloudy but Bob's day didn't seem to start off in better. You know how you have those days. He sees his friend Wallace the walrus who ask him why he has a sad face, which Bob explains how his day has gone. With the really good advice from Wallace we learn that you should count your blessings big or small and never give up, and think about things that make you feel grateful.
The last chapter in this book there is a stingray that is stuck and it is up to Bob to help free him. Bob is scared to go diving in the deep as he has never been before. But he doesn't give up and ends up turning to Earl who gives him advice on what to do. He ends up in the end deciding to help out the stingray which proved that Bob was the right person for the job.

I loved how this book was full of positivity and Bob was encouraged to do things even if he felt he couldn't, and he never gave up. I liked how the animals had advice and wisdom to give. The only character I didn't like is Xena it is like she didn't want Bob to do things which I didn't think was nice.
The illustrations are very well done and bright. They go wonderful with the story being told.
K really enjoyed the book and learning lessons about things even if he didn't think he was.
...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Kim rated it really liked it

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, early-chapter-books, picture-books, blogged, netgalley, rhyming

I received a copy of The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job by Brooks Olbrys from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this early chapter book we meet a boy who lives on an island and has dreams of protecting the sea. Blue Ocean Bob decides he's set his heart on this job, and starts by finding a mentor, Miss Mary Marine, the best sea expert. Bob learns that this goal is a big one, and he must do a series of things to help the sea he loves.

Each chapter is a short story told I received a copy of The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job by Brooks Olbrys from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this early chapter book we meet a boy who lives on an island and has dreams of protecting the sea. Blue Ocean Bob decides he's set his heart on this job, and starts by finding a mentor, Miss Mary Marine, the best sea expert. Bob learns that this goal is a big one, and he must do a series of things to help the sea he loves.

Each chapter is a short story told in rhythmic rhyming that teaches a new lesson to Bob. The stories are enjoyable and simple. First he must teach a seal to swim in the deep to feed, but he has to learn to swim that deep himself first. Next he is supposed to help clean up the beach but a mishap with the net creates a new problem. Then he is to warn all the ocean animals that a storm is coming so he must learn how to speak to dolphins. Toward the end Bob gets discouraged when he has a bad day. In the last chapter, Bob is challenged with scuba diving in the deep, which he doesn't feel like he can do.

I enjoyed the rhyming, it's definitely a book to read aloud chapter by chapter to younger children. For short attention spans, they probably won't sit for the entire book at once. For readers beginning chapter books, this is a good one for them to begin on their own. The rhyming and pictures help the reader figure out some of the more difficult words. There were a few words my daughter needed help on. My older kids read the whole thing in one sitting.

The first thing that caught my eye with this one is the pictures. They are bright and colorful and very catching to a child's eye. I liked the rhyming and the stories that teach useful lessons for kids during problem solving. I liked how Bob picked a big goal and had to work at it step by step.

The biggest downside for me was mostly one character. Bob has a hummingbird "guardian" Xena. Xena is so incredibly negative and pessimistic about everything. I get that there are grumpy defeatists in the world, but perhaps her character would have been better played as a younger annoying brother or jealous neighbor or something. When I think of a guardian I think of someone who doesn't just protect you but also wants what's best for you. Xena acted like she wanted Bob to hide himself under a rock for his life so nothing bad happens, but then he wouldn't grow or do all the good he's capable of. She repeatedly tells him to quit and when he's struggling she doesn't even encourage him. I'm not saying he shouldn't have had some opposition, it's good to teach kids that, I just didn't like that it came from someone who was supposed to be his best friend.

Overall it was a good book, my kids loved all the sea characters. We will take a look at the next one.

Thank you Greenleaf Book Group for this opportunity. ...more

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Jun 24, 2015 Candy rated it liked it

Shelves: j-books

A Challenging Job
Brooks Olbrys
Blue Ocean Bob Series

Review: Bob is a young boy who decides he wants to help the animals of the ocean. He nicknames himself Blue Ocean Bob and with the help of Xena a hummingbird and some other friends he works hard to fulfill his dreams.
I have to say that there are parts of this book that I really liked and other parts I did not like as much. Even so this book was cute and enjoyable. Also, it is an easy read which is great for someone just starting to read on thei A Challenging Job
Brooks Olbrys
Blue Ocean Bob Series

Review: Bob is a young boy who decides he wants to help the animals of the ocean. He nicknames himself Blue Ocean Bob and with the help of Xena a hummingbird and some other friends he works hard to fulfill his dreams.
I have to say that there are parts of this book that I really liked and other parts I did not like as much. Even so this book was cute and enjoyable. Also, it is an easy read which is great for someone just starting to read on their own. Plus, it is written in verse which may appeal so some kids more than other, but I found it to be entertaining. I liked how determined Blue Ocean Bob was to help the animals. The best part is that there are life lessons hidden in the stories. My favorite part of this book is the illustrations. They are so bright and colorful. It just made the story more interesting and for younger kids who still enjoy picture books it helps them transition.
There were a few things though that I did not care for in this book. The biggest problem I had with this book was unfortunately Xena. I have to admit I chose to read this book because of her. I am in love with hummingbirds and I thought it would be amazing to have one as a guardian. Unfortunately, Xena is a bit of a pessimist and is always trying to tell Bob he isn’t capable of doing something. As a guardian I understand she wants to protect him, but shouldn’t she be encouraging him to do better? I also thought that the stories were very short. Now this is just my personal opinion. I do understand that I am much older than the intended age group and that this is perfect for many children. I just personally like a story to have more depth and I felt this one didn’t give us much insight to Bob beyond his love for the ocean. Where are his parents and why do they not seem to care that their child is sometimes put into dangerous situations by the only adult in the book?
I do think that this story will appeal to many emerging readers and as such it is worth reading for them. For readers who are looking for something with more substance this is not a book for you.
I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.
...more

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Jun 08, 2015 Ellen Klock rated it liked it

The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job by Brooks Olbrys is a part of a chapter book series featuring Bob, a character who loves the sea and all the life found within its depths. In this particular book, there are five short adventures (51 pages) containing lush illustrations (by Kevin Keele) and various moral lessons. Instead of the author preaching, Bob learns through the advice of various marine life (Doc the sea turtle, Wallace the walrus, Kodi the seal, and Earl the clam) and hi ...more

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Jul 09, 2016 Jennifer Lara rated it really liked it

The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob by Brooks Olbrys is a series of books which educates children about the ocean, its creatures, its problems and how people can help. It also introduces children to problem solving and encouragement when in doubt. The lessons of the series is to “Think it, See it, Believe it, and Achieve it.”
A Journey Begins is book 1 of the series as Bob is introduced. He lives on an island and dreams of something more. Xena, a hummingbird, is his guardian. Bob goes on a quest whe ...more

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Dec 12, 2014 Lindsey Lewis rated it liked it

Shelves: children-s-books, netgalley

Blue Ocean Bob wants to become a marine scientist, as the ocean and its creatures are his passion. He acts as an assistant Mary Marine. Bob faces many challenges and obstacles to his dream, from having a bad day to being nervous about his first rescue mission.

The story is told in a series of short, rhyming chapters that follow Bob's missions. A rotating cast of characters, including a wise old turtle, a helpful dolphin, and other marine animals, help Bob face his fears and learn how to accompli ...more

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Nov 19, 2014 Selena rated it it was amazing

I was gifted The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob- A Challenging Job, by Brooks Olbry- illustrated by Kevin Keele, by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The books is made up of five chapters. Each chapter is a lesson hidden in a creative, lyrical short story. The boy, on the Island of Roses adopted the nickname Blue Ocean Bob, his guardian is a hummingbird named Xena. He also has a mentor named Miss Mary Marine. Bob is friends with Kodi- the baby seal, Doc- the wise old turtle, Beck- the pel ...more

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Apr 20, 2015 Charles rated it liked it

Bob is a boy in his early teens that lives on a tropical island and his goal is to safeguard the sea. He has a hummingbird guardian named Xena that gives him advice that he really could do without. Xena is one of the most negative characters I have ever encountered in a children’s book and is a major detriment to the story. Xena is constantly telling Bob that he can’t do something.
Despite the negativity from his supposed guardian, Bo is able to accomplish a great deal, he snorkels to teach a y ...more

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Dec 02, 2014 Suzanne rated it it was ok

Shelves: ya-kid-lit, netgalley

This would be a good book to give a young reader who is fascinated with the ocean. Bob is determined to help ocean animals and preserve their habitat. He has ocean friends like Doc (a sea turtle), Kodi (a seal), and Earl (a clam). His constant companion is a hummingbird named Xena. With some supervision by his mentor, Miss Mary Marine, Bob helps with several problems around the island - getting a sea gull out of a fishing net, showing a young seal how to hunt for fish in deep water, and warning ...more

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Apr 20, 2015 Rayleigh rated it it was amazing

I received this book from the author/publisher for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are my own.

Blue Ocean Bob; A Challenging Job is a beautiful book that I loved reading! The illustrations are alluring and the characters are well made, but the writing is what sold this book for me! It is so perfect and inviting! The writing makes this book one of those that is fun to read aloud where you (the parent or older sibling) doesn't feel stupid reading to the youngster! The story rh ...more

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Dec 29, 2015 Patricia Tilton rated it really liked it

Brooks Olbrys has written another dynamic ocean adventure about Bob, a boy on a journey to pursue his dream of becoming a marine biologist and protecting all life in the Sea of Kerchoo. Bob is a great role model for children.
Although Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job is a chapter book for emerging readers, it also can be read as a picture book to younger children. There is a special rhythm to the text and there is breathtaking artwork on every page. Each chapter presents a different challenge o ...more

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Mar 07, 2015 Trisha rated it it was amazing

This is a great book for adventurous emerging readers. Bob is a boy who has taken it upon himself to protect the ocean and the animals in it, however, he knows there is still a lot to learn and that is what he does throughout the book. You see Bob nervous and unsure about himself and some of the tasks he is ask to do, but he perseveres with the help of his animal friends, and what wonderful advise they give, that can can be awesome for everyone, especially the readers.

Although, Bob's job is a dr ...more

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Mar 18, 2015 Reshamad rated it it was ok

Shelves: childrens-books, first-reads, giveaway

I received a copy of The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob through GoodReads First Reads.
I was immediately impressed by the artwork. For a children's chapter /picture book this had some terrific illustrations. I enjoyed the brilliant double spread art of Bob and his marine friends. Overall a job well done on the art.
I am also fond of the marine and geography theme of the book. Its lovely to see a book that encourages and guides you to think about marine life and careers around marine biology.
My gripe ...more

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Jul 12, 2015 Sharon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrens

I would like to thank Bostick Communications and the author, Brooks Olbrys, for providing me with a copy of this book to review. Blue Ocean Bob is back after discovering, in the first book in the series, his desire to safeguard the ocean and the creatures contained within. Miss Mary Marine is back as Bob's mentor, along with a host of sea animals. The teachable moments continue with this book, as Bob learns the importance of having confidence, working hard, owning up to your mistakes, and proble ...more

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Dec 12, 2016 Stacie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviews

Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job is a delightful story that teaches readers about confidence, responsibility, communication, gratitude, and success.

Blue Ocean Bob has a "passion to safeguard the sea" and his mentor Miss Mary Marine is teaching him just what the job entails. Bob must help the baby seal overcome her fear of the deep waters, clean up the garbage in the shallow water, free a trapped stingray and much more. Can Bob master all the tasks in order to acheive his goal to protect the oce ...more

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Dec 09, 2014 Samantha rated it liked it

Blue Ocean Bob is a boy who dreams of one day being a marine biologist, but he knows he still has a lot to learn. With his sage guardian, hummingbird Xena, and a host of marine creatures, Bob has many experiences that help him build confidence while also building good character traits. In this brief chapter book for young readers, Bob faces challenges that address such topics as responsibility, fairness, forgiveness, communication, cooperation, perseverance, and gratitude. The rhyming text has w ...more

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Mar 25, 2015 Mary rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned-books, first-reads

I highly recommend this book and will be looking for others in the future. I think I want the entire collection. I had to read and re-read this book to my 5 year old great grandson who also thinks it is an "awesome" book.

I was very pleased with the rhyming of the stories. There were 5 chapters about Blue Ocean Bob who had some challenging jobs to do protecting sea creatures. Each chapter had a lesson to be learned in regards to confidence, responsibility, communication, gratitude and success. I ...more

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Apr 20, 2015 Charissa Wilkinson rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s, educational

I received this book for a fair review.

Overview: Bob has his dreams all figured out. He will be a marine scientist. So he dons the name Blue Ocean Bob, and seeks out the aid of Dr. Mary Marine and Doc to learn what a marine scientist does.

Likes: Bob was willing to take advice from many sources on his journey to accomplish his dreams. But one of the best parts of this book was that Bob didn’t just dream or talk about his dream. He worked towards it.

Dislikes: Xena did have Bob’s best interests in ...more

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Dec 17, 2015 Lisa Cobb Sabatini rated it really liked it

I won The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job by Brooks Olbrys, illustrated by Kevin Keele, from Goodreads.
Brooks Olbrys' rhyming tale of a lad who wants to master his job, yet finds many challenges along the way, will inspire young readers to seek help from others, learn new skills, and not give up when tasks seem too difficult. The charming illustrations by Kevin Keele will keep very young children engaged as the illustrations bring to life the characters of the tale.
The Adventures ...more

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Jan 23, 2015 Annabelle Garcia rated it it was amazing

I sat with my 7 year old son and read THE ADVENTURES OF BLUE OCEAN BOB. I must say, I often look for great educational/fun books for my kids. It isn't easy because they are either all fun or all educational, no happy medium. This was a refreshing change! My son was fully engaged with the book and was pleased with the ending. I was never cringing feeling that this was dumbed down. I loved the rhythm of the book. I think that made it easier to read. This is great to teach that perseverance does in ...more

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Dec 31, 2015 Duane rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to win this copy in a Goodreads giveaway. Being a Children's Librarian, I'm always on the lookout for a new book that will capture a young person's attention. This book is spot on. With bold and colorful illustrations, it invites young readers to learn about the different ways we all can help each other. By incorporating sea life into the story, the author has created a world that will keep children interested while they practice their reading skills and learn some interesting ...more

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Apr 19, 2016 Betsy rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-netgalley, 2016

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was adorable. It would be easy enough for my 1st grader to read. There were a few challenging words, but not too many. One thing I loved was that it was illustrated but still a chapter book. I feel like the pictures can really help a child keep on reading because they can see the characters and imagine them doing the things that aren't illustrated. This would even be a good one to read aloud to y ...more

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May 04, 2016 Sandy Harris rated it it was amazing

A newly revised edition of The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: A Challenging Job warrants a revised review. While the book still details the further adventures of young Bob along with the endearing cast of supportive sea creatures we met in B.O.B.: The Journey Begins, this children’s book benefits from a slight tightening of the prose, making it even more readable. In addition, a “softening” of Xena’s comments makes this edition a real stand out in the B.O.B. series. Needless to say, I highly reco ...more

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Apr 09, 2015 Pamela Hubbard rated it liked it

Shelves: children, language-doorway, setting-doorway, guy-lit, first-reads, rhyming, chapter-book

I enjoyed the language element in this story. The rhyming really made the story flow and it had a fun cadence to read out loud. The story itself was cute, but nothing too gripping or unique. It had a good message about not giving up on your dreams despite obstacles, but it also should have had a message about picking friends better and not listening to the Negative Nellie's in your life! Kids who love animals/the ocean would enjoy this.
I received this book for free as a Goodreads First Reads giv ...more

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Dec 14, 2014 Kim rated it really liked it

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Blue Ocean Bob is a marine biologist, and his purpose is to clean up the environment, to study the sea life and help the reader learn more of the lives of creatures of the ocean and shores. It is told in a series of short, lyrical chapters. I believe it would enhance any children's library, and give life to curricular studies of oceans and sea life. I would recommend it for younger children's libraries. ...more

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Dec 22, 2014 Ally Camble rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, reviewed

Loved this book! The pictures are beautiful and the stories are great. They have strong morals but they're not preachy. The other characters are encouraging to Bob when he feels discouraged and doesn't think he's done anything worthwhile to help them, and help him do his jobs as much as they can. Great for elementary and great as a read-aloud or for kids to practice their reading with. The rhyming scheme will help kids sound out new words. ...more

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May 09, 2016 Emily rated it it was amazing

**I was given this book in exchange for an honest review**

The illustrations of this book draw you in so completely you can't help but want to read it and see what's happening. The story is just as good as the pictures and the rhyming makes it so perfect for children. This book has a great message and I just really love it. I would recommend this book (and I'll be using it when I start to home school next year!) 5 out of 5 stars. ...more

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