Greg Lewis 
Chasing Wonder 

In its first two lines of enchanting rhyme, Chasing Wonderinvites the reader into the oceans and seas of our imagination. Deep and wide as the very vastest sea Inside a place called Curiosity Then tells us how to get there Close your eyes and open your mind Who knows what could be there to find What the adventure is about This is a story about making choices To deny or follow our inner voices And why making this journey is important But most of all it’s about discovery Why you’re you, and you’re not me It’s a story about wisdom too And how we’re shaped by what we do And Wonder is the reason for this rhyme So, just let yourself wonder all the time Chasing Wonder is dual-track literature that engages adults and young adults with multilayered rhyming and luscious wordplay, and delights children with a worthy plot and an assortment of entertaining allegorical characters. Among these are: Esteemed Lobster, known for his ego quite superior, just because of his posterior; Coral Larry, the genius brain coral; and Squid Pro Quo, the transactional giant squid. Two key characters who appear from time to time are Sarah and Dipidee"Here and there to do some good And we’d do more, if we could But it’s all by chance; we never know We can’t be everywhere you might go!"The reader also meets two empty-headed parrot fish named Yada Yada and Blah Blah Blah; the wise turtle, Twain; the snitch, Rattail Ronnie; the State Fish of Hawaii, Humuhumunukunukuapua’a; and Nep Tune There’s Nep Tune the rapper, the coolest aqua-man Who raps saltwater rhyme like no other can The ocean sways to Nep Tune’s rhythm Plants and creatures are in tune with him And as he glides from side to side He sways the ocean’s rising tide And inspires his fans to wildly wave So surfers get the waves they crave The protagonist is Wonder, a young oyster banished from the oyster bed for reasons the reader is challenged to evaluate; and the antagonist is evil Vidi (from Julius Caesar’s Veni, Vidi, Vici), a hideous sawfish Vidi is wickedness to the core The most sinister fish in ocean lore His absolute favorite thing to do Is devour the goodness inside of you And oysters, he thinks, are the most delicious The favorite of all his dinner dishes There is much to find in Chasing Wonder, additional captivating characters, and foundation ideals and values for life Truth is always most essential Beauty makes you reverential Goodness leaves you feeling great Justice for all must never wait Equality belongs to everyone Freedom’s quest is never done Chasing Wonder is an adventure for everyone, because If we dare, wonder takes us everywhere!