Little Blue is looking for Big Blue. He searches all along the beach until he finds his friend lying in the sand. At first Little Blue wonders what Big Blue is doing. When he finally realises that Big Blue is doing nothing, he is truly shocked.

“But you can’t be doing nothing…   Because it’s a beautiful day!”

Big Blue tries to explain that doing nothing is sometimes doing something. Lying on the sand in the sun is the something Big Blue intends to do – all day. But no matter how much Little Blue tries to do the same, he finds it impossible. On another suggestion, he happily leaves Big Blue behind, so he can go off and do something.

Little Blue finds more creatures on the beach and in the rockpools all happily doing nothing. He tries again, but still cannot just lie still and do nothing. He finds if he keeps his hands busy, not thinking about much, but gradually building something in the sand, he feels relaxed and as happy as Big Blue doing nothing. His creation on the beach is definitely something, but he did it without planning and too much thinking. He just did it.

Understanding a little more about somethings and nothings, Little Blue shares what he’s learnt with a sealion he has just met. The sealion tells a tall tale about a girl sealion he misses. But instead of doing nothing and just waiting for her to find him – Little Blue convinces him to do something to find her.

Three more stories about friends Big and Little Blue Penguin. This time Big Blue wants his young friend to understand that rest or doing nothing is often a good thing – for the body and the mind.

Little Blue begins to understand this by finding his own way to rest – while still keeping busy. His ‘active relaxing’ while building a sandcastle is the best way of relaxing for him. Everyone is different and will find what suits them best.

After a rest and a recharge – get up, get going, and get out there. Good advice for every age.

I really enjoyed the continuing illustration style of these penguins on beach backgrounds as they discuss life. In the third story in this collection, there is a different style for a few pages as a sealion tells a lively story along with a sea shanty. This story takes Little Blue and the reader on a wild sea adventure with a lost love.

This is the 2nd in this Big Little Blue series.

Author / Illustrator – Raymond McGrath

Graphic Novel

(2023, Aotearoa New Zealand, Animals, Series, Friendship, Growing up, Penguins, Doing Nothing, Doing Something, Down time, Resting, Seabirds, Mindfulness, Active Relaxing, Recharging, NZ Author & Illustrator)