Rhoda's Ocean

By: Betty Abbott Sheinis
Publisher: Gallery 55
Publication Date: September 2012
ISBN: 978-0615675442
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: June 2013

Rhoda Rabbit sat quietly shelling peas while Wilma Woodchuck daintily swept the hearth. Swish, swish! Wilma was neat as a pin, while Rhoda was ... well Rhoda. Tidy just wasn’t her thing and “her buttons were rarely buttoned straight, and sometimes, she forgot to pull up her socks or put on her shoes.” Rhoda was the imaginative sort and cleaning wasn’t on her list of important things. She glanced up at some butterflies, imagining perhaps that they were sipping “flower tea with honey.” Wilma chuckled at her and reminded her that cleaning was more important. That sock wrapped around the chandelier just wouldn’t do!

Rhoda’s imagination soared to the skies as she flew with the birds. She smiled to herself as she sat in her overstuffed chair daydreaming of things that may not have been as important as being tidy like Wilma. The sock under the soup tureen didn’t seem to matter when Wilma came to keep Rhoda company when she was sick. Carrot soup was just the ticket when a rabbit was feeling under the weather. Tales of “past adventures” and soaring into the wilds of Rhoda’s imagination made them smile as they sipped their tea together. Ah, Rhoda asked, “Can you imagine what it would be to be as small as a ladybug?” Perhaps, perhaps ...

This is the delightfully charming, whimsical tale of Rhoda Rabbit and Wilma Woodchuck. In spite of their differences, the two look beyond them and are inseparable friends. It matters little that Rhoda’s socks are seldom where they should be nor does it matter that Wilma is a neat freak. Swish, swish! What does matter is that their love for each other transcends everything. There is a delightful little twist at the end of the story that will bring a smile to faces of young and old alike. The artwork is simply beautiful and reminiscent of Beatrix Potter’s. In the back of the book is a brief autobiographical sketch of the author. The charm of this story of friendship is heartwarming, one you just may wish to add to your list of inspirational tales!

Quill says: This is an enchanting tale that young and old will enjoy reading!