Off & Away by Cale Atkinson is a new children’s book from Disney Hyperion that tells the story of what we miss out on if we let our fears hold us back. Set on the high seas, our protagonist’s imagination runs wild with scare visions of what could be out there. But the reality is never quite as scary as her overactive imagination.
Do you know how mail is delivered in the ocean? A young girl named Jo does because her dad delivers it! All of the bottles tossed at sea float to their island, where he boards a boat to deliver them to other sailors and even sea creatures! But Jo has never joined him for any of his mail delivery tasks because she’s very afraid of what could be under the ocean waves.
When Jo’s dad gets sick and can’t deliver the mail, she decides to conquer her fears. She soon learns that the ocean isn’t as scary as she thought and even ends up delivering a package that even her father was too afraid to deliver. In the end, Jo goes from having no friends to having an entire ocean full of friends in this charming story.
Cale Atkinson also serves as illustrator with jaw-dropping colors and details. Kids and parents will want to closely examine each page for all of the hidden details. His love of all things oceanic is very apparent on every page.
Off & Away is the perfect story for kids who are hesitant to try new things. Jo’s discovery of an ocean full of friends will hopefully inspire them to get over their own fears to try new things. Whether it’s a new food you know they’ll enjoy or a ride at Disneyland they refuse to try, you can use Jo’s adventure as a talking point to encourage them to come out of their own shell.