My Small World: Underwater
For ages 3+
Vivid and engaging, rhyming underwater adventure story for children to learn about our oceans and think creatively for a crafty project afterwards.
By Caryl Hart, illustrated by Harry Woodgate (Simon & Schuster, 2024)
This is the 2nd in the 'My Small World' series from Caryl and Harry, as 'My Small World: Dinosaurs' published last year. Really looked forward to the new one! Loved the concept when I read the first book - taking children on an adventure through an incredibly vivid, detailed, and engaging landscape of illustrations, the reader is guided how to think creatively themselves, how they might upcycle or recycle items to hand to exercise their imagination.
Lots of fantastic ideas on how to create the scenes in the rhyming story within each book, and this new adventure is equally as lovely. Popping underwater gloriousness gives off a superbly timed sunny and optimistic vibe. I love the blend of exploration with learning about the creatures, pausing to invite listeners to practice counting skills with stunning octopus's tentacles.
The craft ideas at the end of the story got lots of oo's and aahh's from the adults at storytime in the bookshop this week as this was an added bonus to an already successful choice of read aloud.
Both creators involved in the making of this book are already highly regarded, and I have many books by them in my already, so I didn't expect anything less than brilliant and I absolutely wasn't disappointed. Also, particularly wonderful for my bookshop as we are by the sea! I would love to see another in this series!
Excerpts from the book
Ad - review copy provided by the publisher
