For Kaye—B.A.O. For Jake—K.S.K.
The Adventures of
Blue Ocean Bob Into the Lead
BRO OKS OLBRYS illustrated by K E V I N K E E L E by
Special thanks to Nancy Huddleston Packer for sharing her writing wisdom and to Paola, Nicolas, and Sofia for joining the adventure.
Copyright ©2016 Brooks Olbrys All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder. Blue Ocean Bob, Doc’s credo (“Think it. See it. Believe it. Achieve it.”), Children’s Success Unlimited, and their respective characters and logos are trademarks of Children’s Success Unlimited LLC. Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group Illustrations by Kevin Keele ISBN: 978-0-9829613-7-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015955633 16 17 18 19 20 21
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First Edition Published by Children's Success Unlimited LLC 250 Park Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10177 Printed in China Manufactured by Oceanic Graphic International on acid-free paper Manufactured in Guang Dong, China on February 9, 2016 Batch No. TT15100991
Chapter 1 A Day’s Work
O
n a beautiful isle in the Sea of Kerchoo,
there lived a small boy with a big job to do. Blue Ocean Bob worked for Mary Marine. He protected the sea life and kept the shore clean. But on this fine morning, just past eight o’clock, when Bob was out tying his boat to the dock, a startling jolt knocked him right off of his feet, and Xena, his guardian, let out a “tweet!”
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Then, riding a wave, Al the dolphin arrived. “There’s been a big quake, and I barely survived! The quake caused a crack in the deep ocean floor. Now oil is erupting like never before! It’s far too polluted for us to go near. Perhaps you can get there with your scuba gear?”
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Bob sat up, uneasy and filled with self-doubt. “I don’t think I can do it! My tank might run out . . .” Xena then asked as she fluttered her wings, “Bob, are you ready for these sorts of things?” But Al couldn’t wait and said, “Tell Doc the news. The oil spill is spreading. There’s no time to lose!”
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So Bob took his boat, and he rowed to see Doc, a turtle so wise, he was known as “the Rock.” Bob yelled, “Doc, it’s urgent! An earthquake has hit. The sea needs a hero, and Al says I’m it.” But Doc was there flailing and rocking about on the back of his shell, and he said with a shout, “Bob, I can help you, but first—for Pete’s sake— could you lend me a hand? I was flipped by that quake!”
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When Doc was turned upright, he went straight to work. “Now, Bob, this is crucial. This task you can’t shirk. That fear that you feel is a common defense. This is a big challenge. It makes perfect sense. But in order to realize your hopes and your dreams, it will take some courage, as hard as it seems. When you doubt that you’re able or fit or prepared, remember your purpose and just do it scared.”
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While Bob did his best to ignore all his fear, his heart was still pounding when he reached the pier. He shouted to Mary and flung down his oar, “We’ve got an emergency on the sea floor!” When he explained, Mary knew time was short. “We need to dive down, Bob! I’ll be your escort.”
Together, they ventured beyond the great reef; and descending the sea wall, Bob felt some relief. But when Bob discovered his tank running low, he signaled to Mary that he had to go!
Mary then showed Bob the crack and the spill, and with some time remaining, Bob gathered his will. First, he spotted a boulder he thought just might work. Then he saw a huge whale through the oil and the murk. And when he looked closer, he recognized Tom, who agreed to assist (he was steadfast and calm).
Bob quickly helped Mary cut seaweed for rope. Tying Tom to the boulder, they both filled with hope. Tom dragged the boulder, with might and with skill, and it covered the crevice and stopped the great spill. Bob and Mary released Tom and headed for shore. Now this was a day’s work unlike those before!
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To learn more about The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob™ and view other titles in the series, please visit www.BlueOceanBob.com.
About The Author Inspired by his young son, Brooks Olbrys created The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob storybook series to share timeless achievement principles with children. A graduate of Stanford University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, and /the University of/California Berkeley School, AU Bio Illustrator Bio Website / at other back Law matter Brooks is the founder of Children’s Success Unlimited and a managing director at investment bank Ion Partners. He lives with his wife and son in New York City.
About The Illustrator From a young age, Kevin Keele has enjoyed creating artwork in many forms: drawing, oil painting, digital painting, even stained glass. His work has been featured in numerous picture books, magazines, board games, and video games. Kevin is currently an artist for Disney Interactive Studios in Utah where he lives with his wife and two sons.