Seal on the Beach

Mara Bergman is an award-winning children’s writer, poet and editor. She was born in NYC on leap year day and grew up on Long Island, and though she’s lived most of her life in the UK, she’s never lost her accent. Mara has always felt a strong link between poetry and picture books and loves to write both. Her picture books have won numerous awards in the UK and US; Oliver Who Would Not Sleep was a Bookstart choice and appeared on CBeebies, along with Itchy Itch Itch, illustrated by Emily Bolam. Oliver Who Travelled Far and Wide won the Booktrust Early Years Award. Her books have been translated into many languages worldwide. Brita Granström is a multi-award winning illustrator of children’s books, and has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Brita was born near Eskilstuna in Sweden and studied at Konstfack in Stockholm. Although her Nordic roots remain self-evident in work made on location; both indoors and outdoors, and in all weathers, she has lived and painted in the UK since 1994. Her paintings are in private and public collections around the world and she has appeared on television and radio.

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.