top of page
sea serpent cover_hres.jpg

When a tiny sea serpent tumbles from the bathtub faucet, a little girl finds an unexpected friend. As rainy day after rainy day passes, the two sing songs, take baths, and talk about the sea. But little girls live on land, and a growing sea serpent needs wave upon wave of water.

Here’s a story about the true meaning of friendship, perfect for children, parents, and anyone who has ever had second thoughts about growing up.

“This story about a baby sea serpent who lands in a little girl's bathtub and their conflicted quest to get him back to the sea thoroughly charmed my daughter and me. Could be that our summer has had all the same elements: swimming, "look how big I am now" and getting ready to head off to pre-school for the first time.”

—Suzy Becker, author of All I Need to Know I Learned From My Cat,
in The Boston Globe

 

“This whimsical look at the friendship between a young female narrator and a fast-growing sea serpent will amuse young listeners while providing adult readers with the bittersweet opportunity to ponder the ways relationships grow and change...Imaginative and engaging.”

—Kirkus Reviews

 

“Lyrical and beguiling.”

— The San Jose Mercury News

 

“A touching tale of friendship and growing up.”

— Seattle Post-Intelligencer

 

“Chien's watercolors are so exuberant that you almost expect to feel water splashing from the tub, while Slater's story is so light and fun that her message of learning to let go couldn't be more gently received.”

— Rocky Mountain News

 

“The sort of book that children will remember for years, with images that wend their way into the landscape of dreams.”

— Planet Esme

“A fantastic book that celebrates friendship, courage, imagination, and childhood.”

— The Well-Read Child

 

“A sweet, fanciful story about an unlikely friendship that seems as deep and real as any human one.”

— San Francisco Chronicle

 

“Lyrical, lovely and a bit loopy — perfect for summer reading.”

— Winston-Salem Journal

Quietly quirky... A great choice for one-on-one sharing, and as a bedtime story.”

— School Library Journal


“The language is delicious and Catia Chien's illustrations send me to the moon and back. You must have a peek at this small, sweet treat.”

— Curious City Reads

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A Cybil Award Finalist

Nominated for a 2009-2010 Chickadee Award

Named to the Librarians’ Choices List of
Best Children’s and YA Books of 2008

bottom of page