Ursula Upside Down: An Inventive Picture Book Adventure about Finding Confidence

by Corey R. Tabor

Ursula finds confidence in seeing the world her own way in another innovative, flipped-format digital picture book from Caldecott Honoree and Geisel Award winner Corey R. Tabor. 

In order to fully enjoy the flipbook features of this digital picture book, we suggest locking the orientation on your device.

Ursula is a happy catfish, swimming through a shimmering river with weeds waving above and a sky full of scrumptious bugs below. 

Then one question turns her world upside down. 

Is left right? Is right wrong? Which way even is up? 

Children will love turning the book upside down and back again as they follow Ursula’s humorous journey to self-discovery.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Nature, Humor, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2024

About the author

Corey R. Tabor grew up in Wyoming, where he once spent the night in a cave by an underground waterfall. He now lives with his wife in Seattle, where he draws and reads and explores. Please visit him at coreyrtabor.com.

from https://www.readbrightly.com/meet-ill...

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ursula was one happy catfish, swimming through the world ... River weeds waived from above. Rays of sun shined from below."

Ursula always lived her life upside down (or right-side up from her perspective) but one day she met a yellow fish with a rather unusual question.

"I don't mean to be rude," said the fish. "But why are you upside down?"

Ursula never, ever even considered such a question...but once she realized that she was upside down, she began to wonder what else was wrong.

Ohmygoodness. I want to give Ursula a hug...well...considering she's a fish, I want to give her a high-fin.

She was such a fun main character to follow around - the artwork was beautiful and I particularly loved the way the illustrator did the scenery. And Ursula's design! It was so stinking cute!!

The story itself is a classic tale of finding yourself but this was done in such an unusual way - lots of turning the book around and changing your perspective as you read it. It really was quite clever.

Overall, I was impressed by this one! Definitely recommend it!!

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

We had so much fun reading this one!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabor has found his schtick and he's sticking to it. And I'm okay with that. Every time he delivers a unique story that is engaging and fun.

[Cecelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ursula Upside Down is a flipped-script picture book with tons of charm. Young fans will request many, many storytimes and rereads of this title in years to come!

Ursula lives a happy life, swimming through her world. The river reeds wave from above and sunbeams light the world from below. Until one day… another fish asks her if she knows she’s upside down?? This prompts a chaotic awakening – Ursula had no idea that she was living life differently than anyone else! Luckily, Vern the bat swoops in to help before tragedy can strike, and with a little bit of wisdom, Ursula realizes that she’s just fine, and her reality is right side up after all.

Interactive art makes for a fun reading experience for both kids and adults – and while I’d like to say that art is the absolute standout of this title, the standout element is EVERYTHING. Tabor’s picture books are a perfect marriage of text, gorgeous illustrations, innovation and creativity. Hilarious asides and character choices enrich the text, and make for a fun and funny experience (the bugs and crawfish! lol). The story’s point, aside from pure entertainment? That a different viewpoint isn’t wrong simply because it’s different – in fact, the world is full of those who view things differently, and that’s okay. A valuable and evergreen lesson for kiddos and adults alike!

Tabor’s illustrations are a mixture of watercolor, pencil, crayon, and other media mixed digitally. Ursula’s underwater world is full of a variety of creatures, each lovingly depicted, amid a wash of blue-green watery layers. Animal features, while simple, nonetheless express emotion when something unexpected happens. My favorite detail was how Ursula’s whiskers mirrored her mental state – they added drama as the story progressed.

In all, Ursula Upside Down is an illustration-forward picture book with moments of hilarity, lifesaving, and friend-making, and interactive elements that will invite repeat reads.

Recommended for: read alouds, bed times, and storytimes with young ones ages 3+, and as a phenomenal gift for any book-loving household.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just a gem! Not only can I use it in story time with the letter "U", but it opens a conversation with the kids on perspective and diversity at a level preschoolers can understand. The illustrations are marvelous and the idea of a fish swimming upside down is just fun! I also love how the situation with the bat turned out - an opportunity to point out kindness. :)

This will definitely be a hit in story time!

[Mercer County Library System · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and silly, children will engage with Ursula the catfish by rotating the book as they follow along on her search for scrumptious snacks!

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but it ain't MEL FELL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGhmy...

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love anything Corey Tabor writes. This is a quirky book about being upside down and reader needs to turn the book around to make Ursula right side up, or was her upside down really right side up?! Kids will love this one.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the idea and the message of the book. As a librarian, this would be a nightmare for Storytime because you have to flip the book and turn the pages the wrong way. Just personally, not one I would use for that reason. But the idea was cute and the illustrations were fun. I can see why it's a hopeful for Caldecott this year.

[Trish Banda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! Adorable story. Would be a great segue to learn about animals in the Conga River in Africa.

This would be a cute book to read because you literally flip the book.

Could also be used to discuss perspective or other animals that are “upside down”.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books that involve rotating pages and the books orientation always do well. So this is another winner ala Mel Fell. I love that it encourages seeing the world from one's own eyes.

[Lauren Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corey Tabor is so brilliant!

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ursula the catfish lives her life upside down

[Rolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet book about being yourself, even when that means being a little different.

My kids also love books like this that involve turning the book upside down mid-book.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully fun, interactive book about perspectives, individuality, and the unique animals of the Congo River Basin!

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Preschool and school-age

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ursula is a happy, satisfied catfish until one day a friend points out that she is swimming upside down and her whole world is knocked off kilter. Luckily she meets a friend who helps her put everything into perspective. Not only is it a great story about finding confidence in beating to your own drum, but there's an interactive element of physically turning the book that left me confused about which way was really up and down!

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story about an actual species of catfish that swims upside down. It’s meant to teach diversity, I believe. It celebrates differences in perspective and what can be deemed mainstream or normal, can be the opposite for some of us. We all need to celebrate our uniqueness and be proud of our uncommon selves. Well done!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, interactive, and very well done. This picture book will be super popular for story time and lap reads. Ursula is an upside down catfish who is happy with her upside down life until someone tells her that she is upside down. Now, she's confused and lost and in danger. This is funny with a reminder about perspective and staying true to yourself. Young readers will love the dramatic flipping of the book as we adopt Ursula's perspective.

[Dinah King · Rating 5 out of 5]

It must now be a universal truth that Corey R. Tabor knows how to write about emotional intelligence in a way that speaks to kids and adults without being a sermon.
Bonus points to all of his books that require you to flip the boom around and play with the actual format of the book.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabor does it again, with a twisty, turny look at perspective.

[K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good children’s book!

Ursula Upside Down describes the revelatory afternoon where an “upside down catfish”- yes, they’re real!- learns she’s spent her whole life upside down….or has she? Ursula’s musings are both comical and profound- how does she not know the sky is up and the riverbed is down? But on the other hand, since she’s neutrally buoyant and swims just as well either way, does it even matter?

The illustration with the weeds dangling from the ceiling and the sun rising from below is very cool, and the spread near the end with all the “hanging upside down” animals (bat, chameleon, monkey) is very cute. And Tabor chooses juuuust the right words, there’s not excess and there’s also plenty.

Upon finding it I asked myself why on earth I hadn’t seen a similar conceit before. Apparently the author/illustrator Corey Tabor had a similar book in 2021 that was a Caldecott nominee, so it sounds like he’s found his perfect niche and he’s sticking to it: charmingly illustrated picture books about real life animals with strange directional relationships to their surroundings. It sounds cloying but I found it to be a tightly designed and well executed idea.

I saw another librarian saying she wouldn’t pick it for storytime because of the counterintuitive way you have to flip the book and turn the pages. That is absolutely true, I’d be likely to mess it up lol, but at the same time I can just hear a toddler’s gleeful shock as the book changes.

This little book was such a solid metaphor for being true to yourself, and swimming to the ripples of your own current. Loved it.

5/5 stars.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabor’s newest book is a clever ode to a variety of pink catfish that swim upside down!

Ursula is happy with her life. The sun shines below the water and there are plenty of tasty bugs. Until another fish points out that Ursula is swimming upside down. Ursula isn’t sure that she is upside down, but all the other fish and animals she can see are upside down to her. She is upside down! However, when Ursula tries to fix things, she lands out of the water and on the shore. Ursula cries for help; luckily, a bat named Vern comes to her aid and gets her back into the water. Vern points out that there are other animals upside down on the land, too. Ursula realizes that she is fine just the way she is.

Tabor creates a simple story to tell important ideas. His illustrations are wonderful. Ursula is especially cute. The readers will see the world from Ursula’s perspective. As her perspective changes, the author directs the reader to rotate the book. The story could offer an opportunity to discuss making unkind comments, judging others and being true to oneself. Young readers will really enjoy the story, especially when the book has to be rotated.

I Highly Recommend this title for school and public libraries serving grades Pre-K through fourth.

M.A.C.
Retired School Librarian

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Corey R. Tabor's books! I always learn things and have a great time interacting with his books.
Ursula loves her little cat fish life, swimming along with the sky below and the water above... until another fish tells her she is upside down. This rocks Ursula's world and she ends up on the bank of her river. Where she is rescued by a bat! When she explains her confusion over the earth shattering revelation that she is upside down, Bat explains that maybe she isn't. She is just being herself! Lots of animals view the world from a different perspective. Whose to say that they are wrong in the way they perceive things?
New fact of the day - there is an upside down catfish who lives in the Congo River basin! And since it is Corey, there are very specific instructions for which direction the book needs to be held while you are reading which, of course, makes it even more of a fun read. I would definitely include this one in a story time.

[ella bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I wouldn't like this at first because of the cover (I still don't like the cover). The font in combination with the art presented on the front did not seem to be something I would enjoy. I was so wrong; this book is really nice. I am rarely wrong when I judge a book by its cover, and this was one of those rare times. Before we read all twenty of the 2024 children's books, I marked all of the ones that I thought I had a chance of enjoying. I didn't mark this one, but it ended up being in my top five favorites.

my comments for class:
The illustrations are so beautiful. The writing is excellent and so intellectual. It has a personable voice. It doesn't feel like some monotone narrator telling a story. It is also quite a bit interactive without being annoying whatsoever, so the reading experience will be immersive and enjoyable for both parent and child. It will be a great bonding experience. This is a great book for children to read.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corey R. Tabor comes through again. He did the 'Mel Fell' book. He knows how to use the book itself in new ways. I also learned something new. There is a real type of catfish in the Congo river that swims upside down it's whole life. Really? Yes really.

We meet ursula who loves the seaweed above her and the blue sky below her. She can look down and grab a bug and come back to her beautiful home. Then, she meets a fish who tells her she is upside down which freaks her out. (this is the fun part where the reader gets to turn the book upside down.)

We meet some characters like a bat and fish and this is all about your perspective in life. Having a different perspective is okay. It does make things more interesting.

I think kids will love this experience. They will love have to turn the book and keep reading. It's simply fun. Great story and experience.

[Christina Getrost · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun interactive picture book that I read because it is nominated for the Buckeye Children's Book Award. Ursula the upside-down catfish enjoys swimming, with blue skies below her, until she meets a fish who tells her she's upside down--and this changes her worldview. She flips around--and we the reader have to physically rotate the book, which is such a cool thing--and swims "right side up" until she meets a bat hanging in a tree. Is he upside down or not? What about other animals that hang from trees, like snakes and monkeys? Ursula eventually finds her own way to swim, happy that she "saw things her own way." Or are we the upside down ones? Really clever, makes you think! Author's note tells us this is a real species of catfish, which is fascinating. Cute childlike illustrations, pencil and watercolor.

[Kirsten Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ursula is a catfish who lives contentedly in the ocean until a fellow fish questions why she swims upside down. This prompts her to realize her unusual orientation, causing her to become disoriented and end up stranded on a beach. Fortunately, a bat comes to her aid, gently rolling her back into the water. Ursula notices that the bat is also upside down and learns that she is free to live however she chooses. An author’s note reveals that Ursula is an upside-down catfish, a species native to the Congo River basin in Africa, adding a layer of realism to the story. Like Mell Fell, also by Tabor, readers must physically rotate the pages to follow along. This charming story is sure to delight young readers.

[Kairi Ehlers]

This book is about a fish named Ursula who always swims upside down. One day another fish asks asks her why she is always upside down. This upsets Ursula and makes her question everything that she knows, throwing her into a frenzy she ends up jumping up out of the water and ending up on land. On land she is saved by a bat and meets other animals who live upside down. Through this she realizes that maybe its not that she is upside down but that she just sees the world differently than everyone else and that is ok.

This book could be very helpful in the classroom to teach the class that sometimes people think differently and that it is ok and normal for them, so we should embrace their different point of view.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for a family storytime, and we had a lot of fun with this. The larger group missed a few of the finer details, but the overall storyline of Ursula was a hit. Ursula is an upside-down catfish, and so has a bit of a unique perspective in the world. One day, she is bluntly informed by another fish that she is in fact, upside-down, which throws her into a bit of a tizzy. Fortunately, she is assisted by another uniquely perspectived creatures, a bat.

The illustrations are softly colored, but friendly and welcoming, and the process of turning the book during a reading is very fun and unique. I also appreciated the author's note at the end.