My dear sea

PreS-Gr 3--In his author's note, Carrilho notes that this book was inspired by his young daughter promising the ocean that she would "be careful, my dear sea." From there grew a gem of an aquatic tale: the story of one girl's immersive day at the beach, learning of the beauties and dangers of the ocean. The text holds a gentle rhyme that rises and lulls like the softest wave, but the illustrations steal the show. An immediately eye-catching jumble of crisp details blur into water-soaked dreamscapes. At moments there are crayon scribbles, then pen strokes, then rich ripples of watercolor splotches. Carrilho cleverly uses white space to make the ocean's wildness even more entrancing, particularly at one point where the protagonist crawls from the water to the shore, sandy tracks slashing the page behind her legs. The book exhorts the girl to "respect the sea," reminding readers what that can mean: respect its unpredictability, its strength, the unknown dangers beneath the waves; also respect the life it gives to creatures and the gifts it gives to human existence. VERDICT Truly, the sea is dear in this immensely gorgeous tale of oceanic depth, perfect for reading aloud to preschoolers and early elementary children.--Cat McCarrey

Inspired by a trip to the seashore with his 4-year-old daughter, Carrilho contemplates the marvels of the ocean in this Portuguese import. A light-skinned, dark-haired, big-eyed child excitedly rushes through the sand, flinging off her flip-flops and coverup. Her father warns her to respect the sea as an unruly wave looms. Will she ride the waves or "sink like a stone"? Expertly rendered watercolorlike illustrations accompany the child's musings on the sea. It can be both formidable and wonderful; its waves ruin the girl's sand castles, but when the tide goes out, she finds rocks, pebbles, and other treasures to collect. The young narrator observes marine wildlife, considers historical beliefs about the sea and the monsters that supposedly lurked within its depths, and laments the effects of pollution. Carrilho's compositions vary, from loose, playfully rendered linework to dramatic, saturated washes of color--a testament to the multifaceted nature of the sea. Ultimately, the little girl reveals ways both whimsical (drawing a picture in the sand) and practical (picking up trash) to show her appreciation for her new friend. The rhythm and rhyme are slightly awkward, possibly due to translation issues--or perhaps to reflect a child's realistically exuberant stream of consciousness. Either way, the direct, simple ideas and the beautifully imaginative artwork result in an affirming tale. A unique, delightful oceanic ode.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.