The Sea Monster
Kindergarten-Grade 3–A tale in which a boy loses his toy boat at the ocean, tries to recover it, and is pulled out to sea by the current. A watchful sea monster saves him by pretending to be a rock and giving him a safe place to wait for help. In the opening paragraph, readers are introduced to the suitably monsterish, green-eyed creature: Barnacles and limpets clung to his scaly skin and seaweed grew from every wrinkle. Children will be able to discern the creatures loneliness, and they will wonder why it is called a monster after learning that it is a kindhearted and likable soul. They will enjoy the simple story, but be especially captivated by the pictures of the chameleonlike figure hiding among the rocks. Wormells rich watercolors capture the dark and menacing nature of the sea, and one can almost taste the salt air. With its rich visuals and suspenseful, satisfying plot, the book works most favorably as a read-aloud.–Carol L. MacKay, Camrose Public Library, Alberta, CanadaCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.