Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures

by Elika Ansari

When the underwater animals of Seacity pond learn that their home is in danger, they decide to investigate further by doing something no one has ever done before - go up to land to seek the answers they need. An unlikely team of two royal turtles, a genius goldfish and a timorous frog are then assembled to embark on a series of adventures. Whether they are racing the fastest tortoise on earth, falling in love with travelling mice theatre, or bringing peace to warring ant colonies, each unique experience is taking the group of friends closer to the heart of what is really going on. But will they make it back in time to save Seacity before the Winter’s Slumber?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy

238 pages, Paperback

Published June 6, 2019

Reviews

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to be honest here and admit that I wasn't expecting a ton of depth of this story. But boy was I surprised by the ending. This is not just an adventure but also a story of survival at it's finest. My favourite character was by far Babak the frog. He really comes out of his shell and becomes the here that he reads about in his books. By the end I was feeling a bit sad and afraid of what's to come next for the Seacity inhabitants but also happy about what life has planned for them next. All in all, this is a read that will leave you with wanting more of the characters story but it will also make you think about certain problems that our world has to deal with these days.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join Babak the frog and his newfound friends for a fun and brave adventure to save their friends, family, and home.

Seacity Rising is a beautiful, well-crafted tale for children and adults alike. Heartwarming with a cautionary warning about the changing environment and what we as humans do to impact the ecosystems of all creatures big and small (from the turtles, the birds, and the tiniest of ants).

If animals could talk as we do, what would they think of the changes going on around them? Seacity Rising puts that thought into perspective. And it’s a perspective I believe children especially would understand. I had a lot of fun reading this and would recommend this for everyone to read.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I picked this book for the cover. I LOVE turtles. Turtles have been my favorite animal for as long as I can remember.

Seacity Rising is full of adventure, educational and a very enjoyable read for middle-grade readers. Kids will love the descriptions of the animals and their habitats. Parents will love how the author uses words to make kids think and stretches their brains. If I had a regular classroom I would definitely be using this book with my science lessons to teach about animals, their habitats and how we treat our earth affects so much more than us humans.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, Black Rose Writing, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

[Panos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures
By Elika Ansari
It was a very pleasurable and entertaining book to read, with very nicely written characters, all of whom anyone would find some attributes to identify with.
My favorite character was Babak the frog. 🤗
I also found that the book had very rich vocabulary.
About the plot: i found the story to be original, and written in a captivating way, keeping you wondering what's going to happen next.
Moreover, I liked that it gives readers a wake-up call about the environment, and reminds us that humanity’s actions are affecting it rapidly.
I am very much looking forward to reading how the story develops in the upcoming Seacity books.

[Yossi Lapid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a captivating and elegantly crafted middle-grade novel that sparks the imagination, stimulates creative thinking and inspires life-long reading and learning. The author creatively blends fiction and non-fiction elements to take young readers on a memorable and entertaining journey. The story touches upon critical environmental issues and fosters a deep love of animals and nature. Eloquently told in rich and sophisticated language, the book will be appreciated by teachers, parents, and kids who are seeking a challenging, but still age-appropriate read. Most highly recommended!

[C.E. Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Seacity Rising” is a sweet, middle grade novel that follows a group of four aquatic animals on a quest to save their pond from a prophecy that promises doom in the near future. Babak is the only frog left in Seacity, and as such, he is the first to truly believe the prophecy and want to set out and find a solution to this impending doom. He is joined by princess turtles, and a genius fish who travel far from their pond to discover what is coming, and what they can do about it. While the main premise is a quest to save the home they love, the themes of friendship, caring for the environment and its animals, and avoiding climate catastrophe is strong and beautiful—without feeling sanctimonious. This would make for a great read aloud book for a parent and their young child!

The prose of Seacity is truly lovely, but the writing may be a bit too advanced for the middle grade reader this book is best suited for, as the story and message, the characters themselves, would not appeal as much to older readers in my opinion—the same older readers who would have an easier time reading this given the vocabulary and the long chapter lengths. However, that’s why I say this makes for a great book for a parent or older sibling to read aloud to a younger child. It really does have a lovely flow to the story that would be well served by an excellent narrator! And there are some cute illustrations to share as well, but not so many that the one being read to would miss out if they weren’t constantly looking at the page.

Along the journey, Babak and his companions meet other animals with similar tales of woe as the one they are trying to avoid for their pond, and I really enjoyed the inclusion of these other characters and seeing how the shifts in environment affected them as well. Plus, we also get to watch Babak and one of the turtles grow in their friendship, which was very sweet to watch unfold on the page. Not to mention the twists this story takes! I was pleasantly surprised by the answers that Babak discovers, and the solution he comes up with as these twists unravel themselves. The main themes are always present, but with these twists and the way Babak goes about understanding and solving problems, I never felt like the message was beating me over the head, which can be an easy thing to fall into when it comes to environmentally based books.

I really enjoyed, and was surprised by, the sophistication of this book and the prose used. Any young reader that loves animals, and any adult reader that wants their kids to be more environmentally conscious, will enjoy this story. However, that same prose which I really liked would make this hard for its intended audience, unless they are a really advanced MG reader who happens to be young and like talking animal books… Which is why I am giving it 4 stars, but still encourage this to be read aloud, as I think that’ll add a level of magic to it that would be perfect for this story! And thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

With their home in danger from a looming threat, a group of underwater creatures venture out for answers in Elika Ansari's Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures.

To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.

Embarking on an adventure of a lifetime, a frightened frog, two royal turtles, and a scientifically-inclined goldfish go beyond the safety of the known of their home pond for dry land to fulfill a prophecy and find answers. Seeking clarification of the impending dangers their home faces, the group finds themselves involved in a variety of adventures, including brokering peace between warring colonies of ants who have lost perspective, racing the fastest tortoise around to learn about different kinds of strength, or becoming enamored with the theatre productions of traveling mice. Through their travels, the group learns more about the danger threatening their home and their survival, but the race is on to return to Seacity and rescue the residents before they come to harm during their Winter Slumber.

The story addresses the issue of climate change and the impact the smallest of actions has on the ecosystem in a manner that is accessible for the younger readers the text is aimed for while maintaining a use of language and vocabulary that educates instead of talks down to readers. Giving a voice to creatures who aren't able to express their thoughts in a manner that we can comprehend, this narrative offers readers of all ages with an opportunity to see the world from their perspective and experience their fears as their world changes. There are some cute illustrations to accompany the text, helping to further build the world within one's imagination as the characters develop and grow into more experienced and complex versions of themselves as they traverse a string of loosely related adventures that enlighten them about a new aspect of themselves and the world around them.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Gon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt adventure with a modern message, Seacity Rising successfully delivers a fluid narrative with noticeble character development.
The story grows with you as the protagonist battles his humbling doubts and insecurities to harness the strength necesary to save the home he loves. Seacity also inspires with a pure and latent sentiment of kindness towards all, admiration from rivalry, empathy, and the purest of love.

Seacity is a relevant story with a heart, great for any young adult.

[Laleh r yazdi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Have to say that I do hope that many middle-grade readers would read and enjoy this book as much as I did and use the rich vocabulary it offers to learn more, enjoy the beautiful imagination of the writer that takes you with her to the colorful world of Babak the frog and beyond and benefit from the valuable messages she tries to portray throughout the book. Well done Elika Ansari.

[Linda Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, and will now pass it on to my 10 year old to read, I think its perfect for her age group.
I think we will have a lot of discussion afterwards about global warming and how we can do our bit to combat things like climate change.
A great fun book, with a good message for the young reader.
Thank you netgalley and Elika Ansari for the advanced copy of this book.

[Aref Sakhizada · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a sweet and amazing story with a huge heart. The characters are lovable, especially Babak.
Their adventures are fun with a lovely narration by the author. (Chapter 7 👌)
The message about the environment really shines and is touchable.
Awesome

[Julia (Pages for Thoughts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy the inspirational messaging to help the environment and prevent an increase in global warming and habitat destruction! Despite the issue as being scientifically "complex" and normally taught in upper middle school and high school, Seacity Rising explains habitat destruction in a kid-friendly way that is a super fun read for upper elementary schoolers.

[Nicolien · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating story, very well-written, a pleasure to read.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Water animals head to an exciting adventure on land in order to save their world in this book packed full of thought and heart.

Babak is a satisfied frog, who does his own thing and loves to seek out small adventures. When one leads him to a mysterious message written in a special language, he heads to the King. Soon, he finds himself part of a group of three, who need to leave the only home they know, head out onto dry land, and do their best to try to find away to thwart the danger that could destroy the place they love.

Although not completely fitting, this actually hit me somewhat as a mix between Watership Down and Frog and Toad are Friends...but yet, nothing like these at all. In the first chapters, we meet Babak and the creatures of the pond. He's a kind frog with a lot of heart. Sometimes he comes across as mature beyond his years, and sometimes, very young. But if there was ever a frog for adventure, it's this one. He's looked down upon by the other creatures (although I was never sure why), and has quite the adventure before him as he's thrown into a group with two other, very obviously capable companions.

These first chapters drag a bit and I found myself drifting away more than once, but once the tale does get going, it is packed with adventure. There are several themes including self-confidence, working with others, and friendship, but the main one centers around environmental issues. It was interesting to take the side of the animals and see how they might view such changes. It does have food for thought for young readers and opens up to discussions.

The illustrations are a bonus and make it fun to flip through the pages just to find them. They add a nice, whimsical touch and bring the characters to life. This also adds a nice pause, since the writing itself leans toward the upper end of the middle grade with slightly tougher vocabulary and a more mature wording. While older, sure middle graders readers won't have a problem with it, the plot and theme slides more toward the younger end. So, I'm not sure which ages to recommend this one to.

Animal friends who love adventure will want to pick up this one. And I especially could recommend this one to homeschoolers or those who would like to explore environmental issues with middle grade readers, since it does do a nice job at bringing some tougher topics down to a level younger readers can understand.

[Dai Guerra · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading this book I had to keep in mind the age that it was written for. This book is written for a middle grade audience and I think that the story is well done for that population.

This book was difficult to get into because there was little action going on and a lot more introduction of the setting and characters. I found that the pacing of this story was too slow and we had too much of getting to know the animals in the pond and not enough development of the plot. This made it hard to stay interested in what was happening and nothing to keep me tied to want to know what would happen next.

Something that I did like about this book was the themes that it touched upon. I liked that it talked about friendship, confidence, teamwork, and environmental issues. I think this is a great book to use with early middle grade readers to introduce the consequences of the ways that we treat our environment. This is a great book to use in a science classroom to introduce many environmental issues and how those issues affect other live creatures.

The main character of the story is Babak the frog who comes across a mysterious message that he gets to the king. He goes on an adventure with some other creatures that live in the same habitat as him. I really liked each of the characters that are introduced throughout this story. I think that they each added a different perspective on things and liked how they worked together to accomplish their tasks.

I liked that this book introduced additional characters beyond the ones that were on the journey with Babak the frog. I really liked getting to see the main characters interact with other creatures that they were not familiar with. I also liked the differences between them knowing sea creatures and then meeting these land creatures.

This story is told in third person and tells you what animals would say about the changes going on around them if we were able to understand them. This story has images included throughout the story which add a nice touch as you are reading. The only thing that I had a hard time with when reading this story was the long chapters. I thought that these chapters were a little long for the age that it was intended for and found myself forgetting what was happening.

[Chelle W (teaandplottwists) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Babak the Frog finds a worrying warning and realises that his home is at risk. After speaking with the King, he sets off on an adventure along with his underwater companions to try to find out how to save their city and pond. Along the way they meet lots of new creatures, some who are legends and adored by Babak; they make some unlikely new friends and even help to stop a war! But will they all make it back ok? And ultimately will they make it in time to save Seacity and their friends and family?

This is a heartwarming and thought provoking tale. I absolutely adored the characters, they were so adorable, strong willed and courageous. Setting out to save their city and pond, on dry land where they’ve not been before is scary and they’re not sure what to expect. But they still do it! We watch the group build strong friendships, overcome tough obstacles and pull together when they really need to. They make new, unexpected friends, find joy in new things and learn some valuable lessons.

As an adult this certainly got me thinking. Although the author hasn’t stated it, the danger that is coming and the things that have, and are happening, around them must be down to the harm we as humans are causing to the planet and environment. I certainly finished this with lots of things ticking over in my mind.

Both children and adults will thoroughly enjoy this wonderful story, it’s cute and brave characters, and the absolutely adorable illustrations along the way. Recommended by me!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seacity pond is a bustling hub of activity, filled with fish, turtles, and one book-loving frog named Babak. One day, Babak finds himself in the town junk heap and stumbles across a scroll that contains an ominous prophesy. Struck by the importance of the message, Babak rushes to the palace to inform the King of his discovery. According to the writing, three brave souls must venture past the reaches of the pond to find the Old Woman Beyond the Sea. So, along with the King’s niece and a particularly intrepid goldfish, Babak sets off into the unknown to find a way to save his beloved pond before it is too late.

Short sentences and extensive dialogue make this book ideally suited to middle grade readers. Occasional illustrations break up the text, offering a respite for the eye while enhancing the plot in the reader’s imagination.

Told from the perspective of animals, human readers get a closer look at the effects of global pollution on some of the world’s many creatures. Though there is no tangible villain in this story, the smog and chemicals produced by human activity threaten the lives of those sharing the Earth both above ground and in the water. Strong messages of conservation are woven into the story, encouraging environmental activism without being overly weighty in their delivery.

Newly independent middle grade readers with a love for animals and the environment will enjoy this imaginative tale of a team of brave creatures who set out to save their home from destruction.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Failure isn’t an option. The only way to save Seacity is to complete this quest and get all of the answers the citizens of that pond need to survive.

This book was filled with plot twists. I was impressed with how imaginative they were, especially as Babak the Frog and his friends went further into their journey to discover why their home is in danger and what they should do to try to keep it safe. It was fun to be surprised by all of the wonderful and sometimes frightening things they learned along the way.

There were pacing issues in the beginning. While I liked getting to know all of the pond inhabitants so well, this didn’t leave as much room as I would have liked to see for plot development. I had trouble remaining interested in what would happen next because of that. The pacing did eventually pick up, but I do wish the beginning had been easier to get into.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this tale was how much empathy the characters had for each other. Life wasn’t always easy in the pond or the land that surrounded it, but so many of the creatures who lived there were committed to helping each other when they had troubles. I’m always interested in reading about characters who are that compassionate and kind. Luckily, there were plenty of them to be found here!

I’d recommend Seacity Rising: A Tale of Unwatery Adventures to anyone who cares about animals.

[Martina D'Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the plot of Seacity Rising seems a little familier to you it is because you, like me, grew up watching animated movies like The Land Before Time and Ferngully. Our ecosystem is in danger and we, a band of unlikely misfit heroes must go on adventures to save the day. As you read it, you can picture an animated voice actor star of 25 years delivering Babak, the frog's lines. Robin Williams? Howie Mandel? John Candy? Its a cookie cutter story.

But those movies were all hits and chances are, this one would be as well. Babak the frog's adventure companions are a goldfish and a couple of royal turtles. They encounter the world's fastest tortoise, a traveling mouse theatre, and warring ant colonies. The book is sprinkled with comedy that nine ten eleven year olds will not get, but will keep the parents reading the book to the kids. Like the rivalry between the AAU and the nearly identical UUA.

The book has a strong, heartfelt end that, like the rest of the book, would work well on the movie screen. I just don't know if today's stars can voice a story that has such a typically late 1980's flavor.

[Millie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable animals in terrible situations. Seacity Rising is awfully cute for the seriousness of the subject matter. I have a seven year old who loves it, but it is beyond his reading level. I have an eleven year old who can read it, but is too grown up for it.

This is a book to read to seven/eight year olds, do not expect a child young enough to enjoy it to be able to read it to himself/herself.

That said, the story is fun. I can see it becoming a hit animated movie. A frog leads a merry band of misfits (ok, so maybe it could be a muppet movie) through adventures in an effort to save their ecosystem, or even understand the climate change that is threatening their lives.

[Adam Miklós · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** FIVE STARS *****

What a gem! Loved reading this book! It is an inspiring adventure story that deals with recent enviromental issues in a subtle way. I could really identify with Babak, the shy frog who goes through a real character development by the end of the book.
I also love the idea that children will be reading this and they will not only learn sophisticated vocabulary but they will also be told about global warming and its efects on our nature.
I can`t wait to read more from this author!

***** FIVE STARS *****

[Just_me · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating and sweet book.

I loved reading about Babaks adventure of leaving his pond - the only place he knows - to save his home. In Seacity rising its more than an adventure though its about friendship and bravery.

With the beautiful descriptions and likeable character children of all ages will love this book.

With thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.

[Aitor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare yourself for the adventure!

Elika uses rich vocabulary to wisely describe a special place in this world through the eyes of the animals that inhabit it. She magically transports the reader to Seacity, making him/her feel involved in a vibrant adventure with Baback and his friends. Both children and adults will love this wonderfully written story which will make us realize it is in our hands to save our planet.

[Matt Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a journey! The emotional weight, the atmosphere, the way it all comes together in the end. I’m honestly impressed. A must-read for fans of well-crafted fiction.