Seagull & Sea Dragon

April 1, 2019
Friends can be found in the unlikeliest of places when you're inquisitive enough to look for them! Seagull and Sea Dragon are both curious, each wondering about what's down in the deep blue water or up in the light blue sky, respectively. They invent names for what they don't yet understand--"sea trees" for sea dragons and "sky fish" for sea gulls--eventually admitting their own fears about the unknown. When at last they meet, their made-up names cause confusion at first. But they soon realize they actually have lots of knowledge--about themselves and their own worlds--that they can share with each other. And in the process, they form a friendship based on their common passion--curiosity! Beginning with the endpapers, the luminous artwork, likely digitally created, depicts the pastel colors of the sea gull's sky and the shadowy depths of the sea dragon's watery home. Varying perspectives give young readers a bird's-eye view down to the sea as well as a watery glimpse upward from among the coral and fish. Split-panel spreads give the book a graphic-novel look and feel. Young readers can learn scientific vocabulary such as "coral," "feathers," "moon jellyfish," "flock," "fins," and more, encouraging curious first scientists to begin their own information journey. Two curious creatures learn about each other and the world around them in this simple but exceptionally well-crafted story. (Picture book. 4-8)

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June 14, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-Flying high in the sky, Seagull wonders "What it's like down beneath the water?" Similarly, swimming deep underwater, Sea Dragon asks, "What's it like up there in the sky?" Spare, first-person text relays the strangers' two different points of view and the unanswered questions they both have. Seagull is fascinated and intrigued by "sea lanterns" (jellyfish), and Sea Dragon is mesmerized by floating, "giant bubbles" (hot air balloons). Gregg's digital illustrations offer a variety of immersive scenes, from an aerial, seagull's-eye view of the fish swishing below the shimmering surface of the water to the shafts of light shining down into the coral-lined bottom of the sea. The creatures acknowledgement of the unknown can sometimes make them "feel ... SCARED." When they unexpectedly bump into each other, they converse and leave with a newfound understanding and appreciation. VERDICT A lovely tale about how friendships can flourish by taking the time to chat. A good read-aloud choice for storytime.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.

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