  | Specific ocean Author: Maclear, Kyo | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
A young girl reluctantly leaves the comforts of her urban existence for a family holiday on the West Coast and soon can't bear the thought of leaving the sea behind. If only she could take it with her.
| Illustrator: | Maurey, Katty |
Common Core Standards
Grade 1 → Reading → RL Reading Literature → 1.RL Key Ideas & Details
Grade 1 → Reading → RL Reading Literature → 1.RL Craft & Structure
Grade 1 → Reading → RL Reading Literature → 1.RL Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (06/01/15)
School Library Journal (08/01/15)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 08/01/2015 K-Gr 3—A young girl doesn't want to leave her friends in the city for a summer vacation with her family at the ocean. But she goes, and after a few days of moping, she discovers the wonders of the sea and then only reluctantly departs at vacation's end. Together, she and her brother swim and watch the waves as they "shine, shimmer, gleam, glow. The ocean is so big that it makes every thought and worry I have shrink and scatter." The unnamed girl narrates her experience and changing moods in lyrical, sophisticated language. Initially she misunderstood the name to be the Specific rather than Pacific Ocean. But she realizes that the experience of being at the sea has changed her, and she's confident that she will carry this specific ocean with her: "Calm. Blue. Ruffled. Gray. Playful. Green. Mysterious," not unlike her feelings. Mixed-media illustrations use soft lines and a muted palette for an almost ethereal effect, successfully evoking the ocean and its wonders. VERDICT Though not for everyone, this is a handsome, evocative look at one child's formative experience.—Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
