The Sea-Thing Child

By Russell Hoban

Book Overview

On a black and stormy night, the sea-thing child is flung up on the beach, a little draggled heap of scales and feathers. Although he's made for diving, deep and flying high, the sea-thing child's courage is not yet full-grown and he's afraid of the wild waves and the stormy skies. On the beach he meets a fiddler crab, and the two of them, both lacking confidence, help each other to avoid facing their fears. But the sea-thing child is growing, and after talking to a far-and-deep-swimming eel and a wandering albatross, he becomes restless in the night -- until he finds his star, his courage, and his ocean self. Illustrated with striking beauty by award-winning artist Patrick Benson, Russell Hoban's poignant story about a young creature's journey toward independence speaks eloquently to adults and children alike.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763608475
• ISBN13: 9780763608477
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Candlewick
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 10.8"
• Age Range: 6 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 7

Customer Reviews

Russell Hoban, you sly devil...

While Hoban's two other entries that resemble this one (Marzipan Pig, La Corona) are both out of print, the good folks at Candlewick press have republished this beautiful book, complete with new illustrations.It may be debated by some that the old edition of this book, sparsely decorated with b & w sketches perhaps captured the spirit of the story more accurately, however Benson's illustrations are powerful and not at all inappropriate.As to the story, Hoban has again snuck his metaphysical/omni-spiritual grasp of consciousness into this little volume, but being the subvertist he is, the children he wrote this for will no doubt understand it.Replete with quasi poetry and moving allegory, 'Sea-Thing' is about a small diving sea-bird child who was blown out of his nest, and his great fear of the wind,the ocean and the storm. There are cryptic messages, filled with emotion:"...but what if I have no music in me?""Need must find," said the sea-thing child."Find what?" said the crab."Whatever there is," said the sea-thing child.As with much by Hoban, there is too much that could be said, but without doubt this little book speaks volumes about the fear of being and becoming--seemingly not at all distant from his adultwork.