About the Author

Meomi is Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy. Meomi enjoys sitting by the ocean, making up stories, drinking tea, and drawing strange creatures. Meomi's characters have appeared in clothing, toys, merchandise, and magazines worldwide. They have also created art and animation for clients such as CBC4Kids, Google, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Yo Gabba Gabba, and the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympics. Meomi likes sea slugs, yarn hats, and ukuleles. Visit them at www.meomi.com.

Reviews

"I am totally charmed by the illustrations and story line of this sequel...Both are by Meomi and filled with adorable Japanese style cuties that have undersea adventures. For some reason the scenes remind me of the Teletubbies and the surreal fantasy world that they live in. The Octonauts and their adventures will be easily loved by little ones but I find the illustrations are very inspiring for an adult too." - Bella Dia "I am always in search of children's books that are slightly offbeat and unique. It keeps things interesting for the grownups and the kids...The illustrations in Octonauts are vibrant and detailed. They are the kind of illustrations that the kids stare at for a while, so they can find all the intricate story and character details that are not explained in the text." - MamaLibrarian "An important lesson is taught about not taking important things for granted. Are we taking important things for granted in our world such as our environment? Although the book appeals to young children, it has a wry sense of humour which will also appeal to adult readers. The illustrator is not afraid to be adventurous...All in all, the book provides a feast for the eyes!... Meomi's story will inspire discussion about issues as far ranging as underwater creatures, shadows, submarines, friendship, and traveling to different parts of the underwater world. Recommended. - CM magazine (Canadian Review of Materials) "It's the myriad fanciful details in the intricate undersea illustrations that will attract kids, who may also have a bit of fun with the text's scientific-sounding language" - American Library Association, Booklist "I've been a fan of Meomi for a number of years and it's not surprising that her acquired craft as an illustrator, her attention to details and the passion shown to illustrating sweetness would take the form of children books. The characters have each a compelling personality and the story is a voyage in the realm of a very fertile imagination and the plot unfolds with page after page of visual goodness...Mind you, if you're a serious illustrator, her books are a must have for study and reference." - NetDiver The underwater spaces in the book are much more creative and fantasy than the cartoon... the storyline was so creative and made me stop and think about how important shadows and shade are to all of us. - Crafty Moms Share The stories themselves follow the pattern of the artwork: simple but with much contained within. In a brilliant blend of fantasy and fiction, Meomi entertains and educates... [The Sea of Shade] is the most surreal of the four original titles and has been the tale most often requested by my son. - Geek Mom, wired.com

"I can now report to you that The Octonauts & the Sea of Shade is just as charming, beautiful, funny, and adorable as the first Octonauts book. I highly recommend this to children and adults alike - especially if those adults love intoxicating graphics and mysterious underwater worlds." - Treehouse Jukebox

"I just read the latest Octonauts book from Meomi, The Octonauts & The Sea of Shade, and it's just as adorable and adventurous as the crew's previous outing with the The Only Lonely Monster." - Drawn.ca

"Like the previous book, The Octonauts and the Sea of Shade is visually rich. There's a lot happening on every page, making it a pleasure to read since there's always something new to discover." - SuperCoolBaby