Help Us Improve Oak the Orca Thinks About Gravity

Oak the Orca Thinks About Gravity is a story for kids and adults about an orca who begins wondering why life on land seems so hard on the human body.

Oak hardly notices gravity while swimming because the water helps support him. As he watches humans, birds, rockets, astronauts, giraffes, traffic, and everyday life on land, he starts asking questions about gravity, buoyancy, movement, and why people so often experience neck and back discomfort.

The book is still a draft, and we would especially appreciate feedback from readers, writers, teachers, parents, and others who enjoy storytelling.

What Kind of Feedback Would Help?

We are particularly interested in comments about:

• Story flow and pacing — Are there places where the story slows down, jumps too quickly, or feels disconnected?
• Oak’s voice — Does Oak feel like the same character throughout the story? Does his narration sound natural and engaging?
• Dialogue — Are there lines that sound awkward, overly formal, or unlike something these characters would actually say?
• Age level — Does the story work for children while still giving adults something interesting to think about?
• Too much explanation — Are there places where the science or message gets in the way of the story?
• Humor and personality — Where could the characters be more memorable, funny, surprising, or distinctive?
• Repetition — Are any ideas, jokes, or messages repeated more than necessary?
• Transitions — Do the changes from rockets to traffic, giraffes, astronauts, back health, and floating feel natural?
• The ending — Does the story arrive at a satisfying conclusion, or does something feel missing?
• Anything that simply doesn’t work — A confusing sentence, an illustration that feels wrong, a page you would cut, or something you would like to see more of.

The current story eventually connects Oak’s observations to a grown-up section about movement, spinal health, buoyancy, exercise, rest, and giving the body different kinds of loading and recovery. We are especially interested in whether that larger idea feels like a natural extension of the story rather than a separate lecture.

You do not need to rewrite the book. Specific reactions are often more useful than proposed wording. Comments such as “I lost interest here,” “this made me laugh,” “I didn’t understand why we moved to this scene,” or “this sounds more like an adult than Oak” are extremely helpful.

Thanks, Rob and Joe.

Send ideas and comments to: oakgravity@buoyancybooks.com.