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Children's Fiction Words

I, Sea

A Tale Told in Homonyms

by (author) Suzanne Sutherland

illustrated by Ashley Barron

Publisher
Owlkids Books Inc.
Initial publish date
Apr 2023
Category
Words, Imagination & Play, Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft, Sounds
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781771474993
    Publish Date
    Apr 2023
    List Price
    $21.95

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 3 to 6
  • Grade: 1 to 12

Description

A playful tale about homonyms and the power of perspective

Told through the repetition of two sounds, this delightful pirate adventure is also a clever lesson on homonyms: words that sound the same, or are spelled the same, but have different meanings.

A swashbuckling tabby and their crabby first mate are enjoying a day on the water when—“Eye! Sea!”—a wave crashes against their ship and something gets in the captain’s eye. The two companions visit the optometrist, where the cat reads out the letters I and C during an eye test. The eye doctor explains, “Eye. See?” and teaches the pirate how to put on an eyepatch. By the end of the book, readers will shout “I see!” as it’s revealed that the whole story was part of a child’s bathtub playtime.

This charming ode to language and imagination is illustrated in Ashley Barron’s iconic cut-paper collage artwork. Read aloud, it will spark conversation and exclamation as young kids discover the whimsy of word play.

About the authors

Suzanne Sutherland is an author and editor of books for young people who is passionate about inclusive and engaging storytelling. Her debut novel, When We Were Good, was selected for ALA’s Rainbow list and Under the Dusty Moon was a Toronto Public Library Top Ten Recommended Read for Teens. Suzanne lives in Toronto.

 

Suzanne Sutherland's profile page

ASHLEY BARRON’s vibrant cut-paper collage illustrations appear in more than twelve picture books, including Chaiwala! by Priti Maheshwari, My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf (winner of the Schneider Family Book Award), City Baby by Laurie Elmquist (a Bank Street Best Book of the Year) and Pretty Tricky by Etta Kaner (a Kirkus Best Picture Book and an Outstanding Science Trade Book). Ashley lives with her partner and three cats in Toronto, Ontario.

Ashley Barron's profile page

Editorial Reviews

"A great conversation starter for littles learning about homonyms."

Youth Services Book Review

"I, Sea is truly delightful, and Suzanne Sutherland is so skillful at weaving together the many homonymic variations of the two sounds ... A picture is worth a thousand words, and Ashley Barron is masterful in her use of coloured and textured paper cutouts to illustrate this story of two sounds and many words."

Canadian Review of Materials

"This thought-provoking book for beginning readers illustrates the concept of homonyms in a clever way ... The author and illustrator provide wonderful examples of the homonym concept for beginning readers."

Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database

"Clever ... Lends itself to reading aloud in a broad, expressive way and could serve as a first introduction to a feature of language."

Kirkus Reviews

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