Spencer and Vincent, the Jellyfish Brothers

Readers may be reminded a little of Finding Nemo in this story of one jellyfish brother who is determined to find and rescue another. Orphaned undersea siblings Spencer and Vincent “love each other to the very core of their jelly” and celebrate their bond with a special song: “My brother, my brother,/ he’s sweet, not smelly./ I love him from down in/ my jelly belly.” When Vincent is carried away by a big wave, Spencer enlists his ocean pals—a whale, a mermaid, and others—and employs the brothers’ theme song to help the exhausted Vincent find his way back. Johnston (Laugh-Out-Loud Baby) writes in a quirky-sweet voice that keeps the narrative moving along, and she gets surprising comic mileage from two recurring and offbeat phrases: “superior magnitude” (used to describe anything big, from the tidal wave to a whale to a triumphant brotherly embrace) and “your brother who’s sweet, not smelly?” Digitally enhanced watercolors by Dove (Wendell the Narwhal) have a cheery vintage feel, with crisp lines; smudgy, rich colors; and a cast of smiling, wide-eyed, eager-to-help characters—even a potentially predatory pelican is given the benefit of the doubt. Ages 4–8. [em]Author’s agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Molly O’Neill, Waxman Leavell. (Feb.) [/em]