Spencer and Vincent, the Jellyfish Brothers

Sibling jellyfish Spencer and Vincent are the best of friends and even have written a funny song that they share: "My brother, my brother, he's sweet, not smelly. I love him from down in my jelly belly." Their happy existence is threatened when a storm generates an enormous wave that sweeps Vincent away. Although the story contains many fantasy elements, the way jellyfish move is presented more factually, described as floating, bobbing, and pulsing. Spencer desperately wants to save Vincent but knows he cannot travel quickly on his own. He enlists the assistance of his friend Horace the whale, who pushes Spencer in the right direction. Other creatures try to help, but no one is sure how to retrieve unconscious Vincent safely, until Spencer comes up with a sweet, smart plan. Poetic, unusual vocabulary, with phrases such as "superior magnitude," "tenderness of tentacles," and "spark of verve," make the text fun to read aloud. Digital and watercolor illustrations by a certified California naturalist create an appealing undersea world, and an author's note supplies jellyfish facts. — Lucinda Whitehurst