Sea by John Canty

Each page of this wonderful book has a divided image showing the world under the sea and the world above, which will enchant, enrich and educate the readers. The animals beneath the ocean’s surface swim through each darker blue section of the page while above is seen those things wich kids will eagerly recognise: ships, icebergs, buildings, birds and people. The sea is shown in her many moods and uses. 

Each page from the icebergs and polar bears to the fishing boat and singing whales, to the buildings and surfers, to the yachts, holds interest and a diverse array of things to look for. John Canty takes the readers on a journey, initially showing the pristine sea, then a boat appears in the vastness, while later the buildings take up more of the space above the sea surface, while a huge ship seems to take up two pages. When the buildings disappear, we are back looking at the vast ocean but this time with swimmers, surfers and yachts. And on the endpaper, way out at sea, a tanker can be seen on the horizon. 

We all share the joys the ocean brings, and the journey readers take in this book will wrap them in a spirit of adventure, and finding out, encouraging further research.  They will love looking at the detail of what can be found above and below the sea’s surface. They will ponder the different animals they can see, the buildings and boats, and human intervention.

The illustrations depict a world we all know, but seen from a different perspective, one inviting us to look at the interaction between the world above and the world below. Kids will love the look of each page with its pair of images above and below the water line, and be intrigued with the images as they flow from one page to the next, taking the eye from left to right, with one lone exception, which will encourage thoughts about why. Some of the animals are familiar, and the illustrations will encourage readers to recognise individual characteristics. 

I love the way the journey takes the reader to the cities where tankers and cruise ships are common, then back to the more placid use of the sea by individual swimmers, yachts and surfers. A stark contrast.

Themes: Fish, Sea, Ocean, Journeys.

Fran Knight