BOB AND JOSS GET LOST!

Two friends rent a sailboat, get lost, become shipwrecked, and end up on a (seemingly) deserted beach.

Bob, a Type A personality, and Joss, a classic Type B, are friends (both are white). The book opens on a beach as Bob informs Joss that he is bored. Joss suggests renting a sailboat, but Bob is hesitant, afraid they will get lost. Joss assures him they won’t. Not only do they get lost, they encounter a storm, become shipwrecked, and finally wash up on a beach. Throughout it all, their overachiever-vs.–laid-back personality differences are what drive both the plot and the humor. After the shipwreck, Bob is all about responsibility and control as he builds a shelter and tries to make a fire, while Joss is all about being in the moment as he savors a coconut and listens to the waves. Vogel’s illustrations alternate between sequential panels that emphasize the droll dialogue exchanges and single- and double-page spreads that add both setting and emotional ambiance. GPS coordinates on each verso page add a clever tangential story, and motivated readers who plot them (easily done with a computer) will get a jump on the surprise ending (as will readers who explore the illustrations very closely).

This clever home-away-home arc with a “go with the flow” twist has the added bonus of motivating readers’ engagement.