The Seal on the Beach
Illustrated by
01 May 2025Synopsis
An inspiring picture book story of hope and survival written and illustrated with lyricism, empathy and warmth. The perfect read for animal lovers who dream of making a difference.
Little Maggie is on holiday with her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile her mum waits for Maggie’s baby brother to come home from hospital. On a walk across the wild Norfolk shoreline, Maggie finds a seal pup stranded on the beach, all alone. She is the sweetest thing Maggie has ever seen. But without her mum, how will the seal survive? Who will rescue her and will she ever be returned to the sea, and find her family again? Expressed through her vivid dreams and thoughtful actions, Maggie longs for the rescue and survival of this dear little seal pup. And, all the while, she hopes with all her heart to be reunited with her own mum and baby brother again.
Details
01 May 2025
9781529523935Reviews
Written in a strongly poetic style, the text is light and well chosen, mirrored by Granstrom’s characteristic illustrations which are typically full of warmth and feeling. This story provides many talking points, gently exposing the youngest readers to the potential of family disruption and ill health; the concept of patience and the time it takes for healing in both the human and the natural world; the sense that even in the very young individual responsibility can be found and conservation can lie in your hands. Yet because these themes are met with such beautiful full colour spreads, and because the language used is so thoughtfully selected, the story remains overwhelmingly hopeful.
This treasure of a picture book celebrates the delights of a British seaside holiday…Mara Bergman’s episodic, poetic prose is every bit as elegant as Brita Granstrom’s beautiful watercolours, which are a joy to behold. Feast your eyes on the seaweed, snail and shell strewn endpapers before reading the story with children. For adult sharers it will likely bring back memories of their own childhood summer seaside adventures.
This is a beautiful, lyrical, incredibly touching story. It could almost be a book of poems. Its ‘chapters’ are short, sweet and set out to look like poems, accompanied by the most wonderful watercolour illustrations, they truly bring the story to life, they take us into Magie’s thoughts, fears, hopes, and show us how events unfold through her eyes. Mara Bergman and Brita Granstrom have, with their words and illustrations, made a story that will stay in the hearts and minds of its readers for a very long time. The Seal on the Beach is a magical, incredibly special story, and make sure to turn the pages all the way to the very end for there is a note about the inspiration for this story, a heartwarming one.
beautiful, atmospheric illustrations...I strongly recommend this charming picture book.
