The message in this book is that we all need someone to watch over us. Through beautiful watercolour paintings that flood the pages with colour and atmosphere we follow a little boy, his mother, and grandfather on a boat trip and their return to the safety of the harbour and home. The pictures are so evocative that they transport us onto the deck of the little fishing boat on the ocean, they let us taste the salty spray of the waves, hear the rumble of the storm, and see the guiding brightness of a star that shines as darkness falls. But the book is more than the depiction of a journey, it's a lyrical exploration of what it means for us to be loved and nurtured and how each of us wants to feel safe and secure, even at those times when we crave adventure and independence. This is an unashamedly lyrical book. With powerful words and beautiful illustrations, it is bound to become a favourite at bedtime.

 

There are 32 pages in this book. This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2015 by Oxford University Press .

Mark Sperring is a brand new picture book author. He is a bookseller and lives with his family in Bristol, UK. Alexandra Steele-Morgan is a new picture book illustrator from Wales. Layn Marlow grew up in Essex. After studying history of art at Reading University, Layn began her career working in libraries. She lived in Belgium for several years but it was on her return to the UK that she enrolled as a mature student at Southampton University and received a first class degree in illustration. Layn now lives in Hampshire with her husband, two children, a hamster and a goldfish. For relaxation she loves listening to the radio, knitting and karate!