Customer Reviews

The Sea Serpent and Me

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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I couldn't believe it when I found this book. My four year-old daughter has always been fascinated by sea serpents, and I was so pleased to find that it is a little GIRL who finds the sea serpent in her bathtub. Not that I mind having her constantly relate to boy characters when it comes to her fascination with stories about sea serpents and dragons and dinosaurs, but it is so refreshing to finally see one about a girl. The story is lovely, and the illustrations are just beautiful. And no pink! Yippee!

The story here is fun. A little girl discovers a sea serpent and the book follows her journey from raising it, to realizing she has to let it go, to the moment when they part. It's lovely and simple and sweet. Children really respond to the understated emotion of the text and the rhythm of the story. And the book's illustrations are spectacular. Catia Chien has such a unique style and such a sense of storytelling. Every page is bursting with energy, The underwater creatures (the sea serpent included) are full of imagination and whimsy. There are whales wearing bow ties, fish shaped like guitars and an octopus with a top hat. Every time I read this book I discover fantastical new creatures hiding in the depths. But my favorite page is a simple illustration of the girl and the sea serpent facing one another, alone beneath an arc of flying fish. The girl's arm reaches out, almost touching the serpent. The text reads: '"But what if I'm lonely?" my sea serpent asked.' It's a quite page, and the tone is subdued. Then the story picks up again, the whales in bow ties appear, and the girl and serpent finally part. The Sea Serpent and Me is truly a beautiful book from beginning to end and I highly recommend it for children and children at heart everywhere.

This is an absolutely wonderful book. It is a story about growing up, deep friendship and letting go. I read it to my 6 year old grandson and he and I were both completely delighted by the story. In fact, as the book came to its conclusion, my eyes welled up with tears.
The illustrations are enchanting and the writing is simply perfect....I recommend it to every child, every parent and certainly every grandparent.

I fell in love with this book when I borrowed it from the library. I just had to get my own copy. My son is 3.5yrs old and he loves it too. I think we read it nap and bed time every day for a week straight.

Alright, to be fair, he is only sulky for a moment. A wee sea serpent lands in a little girl's tub and asks if she will bring him back to the sea. But, it is raining and any girl knows that you do not go to the salty sea in the rain. As the days past and the sea serpent grows as "big as the ocean is deep and as long as the current is strong," their friendship also grows and grows.

The language is delicious and Catia Chien's illustrations send me to the moon and back. You must have a peek at this small, sweet treat.

"He sang me a song about the deep blue sea, where manta rays swim like dancing blankets..."

...but this book is incredible. I found it at the library and it brought tears to my eyes. The illustrations are lovely, but the story itself is just spectacular.

Love this book.

Just love it.

Another favorite in our household (along with Firefighters in the Dark, by the same author).

this was one of the first books that if my daughter saw it in the library, it HAD to come home.

Even after that many times of reading it, it still holds up in its beauty and charm.


LOVE IT.

So wonderful to see a little girl... NOT immersed in pink, NOT caring for a baby, but busily playing with her wild and wonderful sea serpent. Poignant ending. Just love this story and the illustrations are wonderful as well!

A very sweet book for a girl or boy to read. We took it out from the library & feel in love with it so we had to buy it as a gift for a friend.

This is a very sweet story of true friendship that is illustrated beautifully. We gave it as a gift. If my daughter were younger, we would have bought another copy. Beautiful text. Beautiful illustrations.