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(Agest 3 to 8)

A delightful and poignant picture book, universally accessible in melodic and simple rhyme, packaging an environmental message so endearingly told that it will reach even the youngest child.

Gorgeously illustrated with pictures so pure and vibrant they could be original cartoon celluloid, this book will immediately capture the interest of children and adults alike.

The main protagonist, Finn, a charmingly freckled red-headed boy (instantly calling to mind, for this reader, Beverly Clearly’s scamp Henry Huggins), with his purple pet octopus, Fred, travel in their imaginations, in a battered old suitcase, that takes them to far off and wonderful places.

With proceeds supporting the “Cornish Seal Sanctuary”, Finn and Fred’s trip to the Arctic Circle, as it unfolds in these magical pages, is as wonderfully engaging as it is serious business. For the animals they meet, including frightened seals, a hungry polar bear, a wise and all-seeing snowy owl, angry walrus, and finally the playful but cautionary whales, all have a story to tell.

“The world’s getting warmer year by year; The Arctic ice will soon disappear.
Every girl and boy must join in the fight
To protect the oceans with all of their might.”

As Finn and his friend Fred witness the struggles of their new Arctic friends, the message, and the take-away for generations of new environmentalists, is both simple and profound.

“We’ll switch off our lights and walk to school. No more plastic is our golden rule.
We’ll spend our lives playing our part, Protecting the oceans with all of our heart.”

A thoroughly lovely book that belongs on the shelf of every child’s library, this thoughtful and entertaining gem is a perfect addition to any bedtime reading line-up.

My stop today on the @rararesources #blogtour @FullMediaLtd

A great big thank you to the author, the illustrator and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.