Review by Booklist Review
Readers are transported to an underwater world where jellyfish serve as transportation for sea creatures. At the heart of the story is Slowpoke, a jellyfish bus who takes his time getting from one point to another. While some love the slow pace of his route, others just wish he'd get there. When he's called in by his boss for being too slow, Slowpoke decides that maybe a vacation would do him some good, and he embarks on a journey that leads him to new depths of the ocean. As Slowpoke ventures deeper, he meets a variety of sea creatures--including a deep-sea angler fish, a tripod fish, and a horsehair crab--who eagerly join him in traveling to the ocean night bazaar. Through each encounter, young readers learn about the deep sea's wonders while also discovering the value of patience, kindness, and community. The illustrations are truly enchanting, packed with tiny details that invite exploration. With speech bubbles and comic-style panels, the visual storytelling enhances the narrative, making The Jellyfish Bus a clever and immersive experience.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--In this semi-fantastical ocean world, Slowpoke, a jellyfish bus, thinks he has the best job shuttling ocean creatures to their destinations. Unfortunately, he does not move fast enough for the bus riders and loses his job. Disappointed, he decides to take a vacation before choosing what to do next, but soon gets bored and opts to explore the depths of the ocean where he encounters all manner of interesting creatures as the waters get darker. He meets an anglerfish who would like a ride to the Ocean Night Bazaar, a famous ocean amusement park. On the way, Slowpoke picks up many other creatures who fit under his huge balloon body and the group arrives at the Bazaar on time. They have the best time going on rides, eating ocean-style fair foods, and meeting other creatures. The travelers are thankful for Slowpoke, and he has found his perfect job again. Beautifully colored, detailed illustrations with just the right comic touch show the animals making funny and informative comments. The voyage to the deepest part of the ocean is very well depicted with varied panel sizes, creating movement and anticipation. The tiny print size may be a slight stumbling block. VERDICT A feel-good graphic novel about doing what you love and being flexible. Recommended for readers who enjoy some facts with their fiction adventure stories.--Elisabeth LeBris
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this South Korean import, an unhurried jellyfish finds just the right occupation. In the upper reaches of an ocean where jellyfish serve as speedy buses for other sea creatures, the aptly named Slowpoke loses his job. Quickly bored by his "vacation," he spends his days traveling. Down, down he goes to the darkest depths of the sea. There, he meets strange creatures who are eager to visit the Ocean Night Bazaar, a marine amusement park. Soon Slowpoke's working as a bus again, ferrying new friends to their destination and having adventures along the way. The bottom dwellers are grateful for the opportunity to explore new settings, while Slowpoke's happy to have a renewed sense of purpose. Though the story is fantastical, the creatures of the deep are recognizable and intriguing. They behave just as any child would, screeching with glee on the sea swing and pouting when it's time to go home. Alternating between comic book--like panels and full-bleed pages, Lee's lively illustrations emphasize the variety of creatures in the ocean, most of them engagingly cheerful. The spreads are filled with details to pore over; the bazaar is especially eye-catching, depicted over three spreads. Much of the text is in speech bubbles as passengers comment on what's going on; the basic facts of Slowpoke's journey are rendered in a sentence or two in a different font. An imaginative exploration of ocean depths.(Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
