Review: Wonders and adventures beneath the sea
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 2, 2013
Israeli author Zehavit Tzarfati comes to her devotion to writing children's books with fine credentials; she holds a BA in Psychology and Education, and a Masters in Public Policy. She also happens to love animals and children, the reason she combines the two in her stories. Her very fine illustrator is Kathleen Sue Mallari.Mary and her sweet but naughty dog, Flipper, take a walk to the beach and Flipper discovers a Mermaid named Mandy! When Mandy asks Flipper if he wants to play, Flipper replies he can't breathe under water, but Mandy asks him to rely on her magic. Beneath the sea they go and meet Olly the Octopus and the three of them encounter shining plankton and a cave so dark that the friends must rely on a new friend  - an eel who creates a green light - so that they can all explore a shipwreck. They spy a ruby in the sand and when they try to retrieve it the ship's ghost shouts for them to `give back my treasure!' But Mandy, Olly, the eel and Flipper flee and Flipper ends up back on shore with the ruby he gives to Mary - his day has rewarded him with terrific memories of his new sea friends!This is a story that combines many features that will appeal to children - friendship between pets and people, fantasies with make believe creatures, underwater adventures, and a rescue of a treasure that a pet retrieves for this master. The story reads well and the illustrations sparkle. This is a very fine book for children of all ages. Grady Harp, October 13