🌊 Fear & Loathing in Shallow Waters—Little Crab’s panic-stroll away from the ocean is the “NOPE” face meme incarnate. Very Big Crab? MVP hype-yenta: “The waves just wanna HUG you! Like Aunt Linda at Thanksgiving—relentless but kind!” Plot twist: Sand is just nervous confetti nobody asked for.

Chris Haughton’s art? A dopamine tsunami. Neon tides swallow the page, while Little Crab’s side-eye 👀💢 rivals every kid refusing vegetables. VBC’s pep talks hit like ASMR—you’ll swear you hear ocean whispers (spoiler: it’s Grandma’s sound machine).

Storytime hack: Shake a jar of water + glitter for “wave sounds” 🌊✨. Pair with The Snail and the Whale (trauma-bonded travel buddies) or Giraffes Can’t Dance (“believe in yourself” propaganda, but make it bops). Bonus: Post-read bravery chart—stickers for every ”Crab-walked into the Unknown” moment (e.g., trying broccoli).

Adults, you’ll cackle at VBC’s “I’ve seen worse on Groupon” energy and the crab’s existential “But WHAT IF the ocean hates me??”—a mood for Zoom meetings. Meme-worthy moment: Crabs high-fiving a jellyfish (biology shmology). Steal VBC’s mantra: “Feel the fear. Do it anyway. Or nap first.”