Maya enjoys going to the beach and is especially fond of swimming with her friend Finn, the parrot fish. Thanks to her magical webbed feet, she is able to rescue three of her marine friends who have become unwell through environmental issues. Turtle has ingested plastic bags, the water has become too hot for Coral and Dolphin has become trapped in a fishing net. This delightful little picture book is part of a series that the author Lucy Munday is creating in order to highlight the effects of environmental damage to our planet. Illustrated attractively in bold and bright colours, the message is clear but is not communicated in a way that would be distressing to young children. Each time Maya encounters a problem, the question DO YOU KNOW? follows, enabling discussion. At the end of the story there is further information about the three threats to the environment visited in the book, together with a useful website. This book would be a very useful addition to an infant school library, providing a helpful introduction to this subject matter in a gentle way.
Val Rowe, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
| Suitable For: | |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
A wonderful book.
Wonderful.
Firstly the illustrations: Very child-friendly, easy to access, lovely colour and I particularly like the way that the plastic is quietly there in the background in each scene. Very interactive.
The story itself: I found the writing perfect for children. Simple, short sentences, plenty of chances for comprehension and discussion. It made me very sad reading this. I am now 45 and have been doing my best to recycle and protect the local environment etc since I was in my early teens and had a passionate teacher. I am saddened that in all this time nothing has changed and has indeed got worse.
I hope this book, as well as teaching children about how we can help our oceans and our planet as a whole, will also remind adults that we need to do something.... Read Full Review
This is an excellent little story to help younger children understand Climate and Environmental changes.
This is an excellent little story to help younger children understand Climate and Environmental changes. The drawings are lovely, and by engaging with the reader it helps them to understand how and why these things happen.... Read Full Review
Anything which gets children involved in caring for our planet is doing a good job and I'd recommend it for that reason.
I like the idea of this book as it's a good starting point for discussing environmental and conservation concerns with children. The illustrations are great too. I'm not sure which age range the book is aimed at. I think it's a bit lightweight for older children but not simple enough for younger ones. And I'd like to know why Maya is magic when her family appear to be regular humans.... Read Full Review
