While a young boy enjoys a summer's day, his thoughts constantly return to his father, who is digging for coal deep under the sea. "An atmospheric, haunting story" - The Bookseller Stunning illustrations by Sydney Smith, the award-winning illustrator of Footpath Flowers, show the striking contrast between a sparkling seaside day and the darkness underground where the miners dig. This beautifully understated and haunting story brings a piece of mining history to life. The ever-present ocean and inevitable pattern of life in a mining town will enthral children and move adult readers, as a young boy wakes up to the sound of the sea, visits his grandfather's grave after lunch and comes home to a cosy dinner with his family, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep down under the sea.

 

This book has been graded for interest at 5-7 years.

There are 52 pages in this book. This book was published 2018 by Walker Books Ltd .

Sydney Smith has illustrated multiple children's books, including Town is by the Sea, the winner of the 2017 Kate Greenaway Medal, The White Cat and the Monk, written by Jo Ellen Bogart, and the acclaimed Footpath Flowers, which was a New York Times Children's Book of the Year and a winner of the Governor General Award for Illustration. Born in Nova Scotia in Canada, Sydney now lives in Toronto with his wife and son. Find him online at hutten. org/sydney and on Twitter and Instagram as @sydneydraws. Joanne Schwartz was born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She is the author of a number of children's books including Our Corner Grocery Store, which was nominated for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Joanne has been a children's librarian for more than twenty-five years. She lives in Toronto. Sydney Smith has illustrated multiple children's books, including The White Cat and the Monk, written by Jo Ellen Bogart, and the highly acclaimed Footpath Flowers, which was a New York Times Children's Book of the Year, a winner of the Governor General Award for Illustration and shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Born in Nova Scotia in Canada, Sydney now lives in Toronto. Find him online at hutten. org/sydney and on Twitter as @sydneydraws.