The Sea

by Piret Raud

A surreal and magical story by Estonia’s leading children’s book creator about the importance of bedtime stories. The Sea loves her family and everyone in it―the fish, the star fish, the turtles, the worms―and her family loves her back. The only problem is . . . they are so loud! So, the Sea takes a vacation to clear her head and enjoy some peace and quiet. In her absence the sh run amock, loving their newfound freedom, but they soon realize that their favorite part of the day is there’s no one to read them a bedtime story. Enter a very naughty cat with ill intentions who promises to read to them. Once the sea animals realize their mistake, their tears bring back their mother and she promises to teach them to read so they can always enjoy a bedtime story. Illustrated in Piret Raud’s fun, quirky style and imaginatively told with her characteristic wit, this book is an appealing and humorous tale sure to delight children and adults alike. Illustrated in color throughout

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

PIRET RAUD was born in 1971 in Tallinn, Estonia. She has studied printmaking at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Since graduating in 1995 she has been living and working in Tallinn as a graphic artist, book illustrator and author. She has illustrated over 50 books, written 21 books for children and 3 novels and 2 short story collection for adults. Her books have been translated into French, English, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovenian, Croatian, Albanian, Hungarian, Korean, Chinese and Occitan (Gascon, Languedocien and Limousin dialects).

Piret Raud has received the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Award on multiple occasions, most recently for her prose in 2023.

Reviews

[Helin Puksand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raamat lugemisoskuse tähtsusest.
Meri hoolitseb kõigi eest, kes temas elavad. Kuid kalad on hirmus lärmakad, mistõttu meri väsib ja otsustab ära minna. Aga kes siis unejuttu loeb?
Sobib eelkooliealistele.

[Kätlin Kaldmaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ma ikka mõtlen nüüd sellele, kuidas kalad on liiga lärmakad.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sea calls to mind the joys and trials of parenthood, the Montessori philosophy of teaching children to care for themselves, and the satisfaction of learning to read. The personified Sea loves her fish – she cares for them and reads to them – but hits her breaking point and leaves one day. They miss her and the stories she reads to them, so they seek out someone to read to them. So desperate are they for a bedtime story that they agree to let a cat eat them if she will first read to them. Spoiler alert: the cat doesn't eat them. The Sea returns just in time and teaches them to read, allowing them independence and herself a breather from the demands of her fishes.

T asked me to read him this as soon as it arrived in the mail. He liked it, and we were both particularly taken with the illustrations. They strike me as odd and somewhat steampunky. It's almost like they are mechanical. I rather like the uniqueness of Raud's style. Anyway... The Sea is a good opener for discussion about demands and need for time to read one's own books. Children can be reassured that a parent's alone time is not a rejection or abandonment. For that matter, parents will feel validated when they need a break from the demands of little tykes.

While T enjoyed it, I think that it would be ideal for reading to a baby/toddler/preschooler.

[Nanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story with striking art.

There are deeper pieces of reflection on parent-children relationship as well as their own persons and spaces.

I couldn't wait to read the next book I found of Piret Raud, which was "The Ear".

[Marge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lihtne, armas, peen. Mis seal öeldagi muud. Ilus.

[Hanneleele]

Vahva!

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

No ma ei tea kuhu ma saaks end ette ja taha vabandada, aga ei hakka mina mõistma Piret Raua stiili. Sorry. Jookseb minust mööda lugu koos piltidega, aga vahva, et lugemine on raamatus hinnas.

[Vanja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preslatka slikovnica o važnosti brige za onoga tko se brine o tebi.
I čitanju.

[Vani · Rating 3 out of 5]

For tired parents everywhere who just want a break to think, and on the joy of reading and the perils of opportunistic characters.

[Masha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful picture book, a wonderful ode to reading and education, as well as the freedom they bestow upon us. :-)

[Geret · Rating 4 out of 5]

olen veedunud, et see on tõestisündinud lugu