Serena and the Sea Serpent

Aussie Bites

by Garth Nix, Stephen Michael King (Illustrator)

A fierce Sea Serpent is frightening the people of Bubber Point. Can super-smart Serena Smith scare him off?

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Audiobook

79 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2000

About the author

Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.

Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.

He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short story about a girl who seems to know everything and uses that power for good.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so this book is legitimately for small children, it is a short chapter book but it is super cute. Serena is a young girl who happens to also be a genius. People in her town generally find her incredible knowledge annoying rather than awe inspiring, so when a sea serpent starts showing up near her town she volunteers to be the human sacrifice to find out what is happening. Rather than encountering a girl-eating serpent, she finds a gentle vegetarian sea creature who is getting tired of having to take care of all the little girls the local towns keep leaving out for him. It is super short and fun to read, find a small child and read it to them… or just read it yourself - I did.

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh this was a fun and sweet book.

On a completely different note though. I recently asked my husband, whom is watching the latest presidential debate, while I was doing this review. Just to throw the entire thing off would to be to ask 'If satellite science is so advanced, why hasn't anyone proven if the Loch Ness Monster is real or not real?'

Thank you Mr. Nix you just made my day!

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since it's been a while since I read this, I remember this being a really cute book for kids. Really I was just interested to read Garth Nix writing a children's book. Also I was in a rush to finish my reading challenge for that year.

Aussie bites are awesome novels and this one didn't disappoint- brought me back to my childhood.

[Flufflypickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this before, needed to be re-read. A good feeling to get nostalgic but the idea and story plots (now looking back) are really original compared to the fantasy of today. :) lovely read. This is and will always be one of the books of my childhood :)

5/5

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, cute story.

[Amy.... · Rating 2 out of 5]

basically its about a sea serpant...

not really good for yr 7s but its good for younger kids.