Deep Blue: Swimming in the Big Blue Sea

PreS-Gr 2–Young Kayla, with tan skin, is swimming at the beach with her family when her beloved dolphin floatie loses air. Her encouraging dad, also with tan skin, ­reminds her that she knows how to swim and pulls her up on his shoulders; Kayla’s imagination takes flight as she envisions herself as a lighthouse, scanning the sea for trouble. She then imagines herself as a seal and a fishing boat before taking a gulp of air and diving below the sea’s surface as a dolphin. This is a creative and encouraging primer to a new experience. The lush watercolor illustrations, particularly the dark blues showing the vastness of the ocean, compellingly ­illustrate the seaside setting, while the simple text immerses readers in the sensory realm of the ocean. Young readers will notice Kayla’s distinctive red-and-white striped swimsuit that is modeled on the red-and-white striped lighthouse, the seal’s rashguard, and, adorably, as the dolphin’s dorsal fin.