Deep underwater
(Book)

A young girl embarks upon a fanciful aquatic adventure in this beautifully illustrated, often lyrical picture book. Narrator Sophia, who lives seaside, invites readers to join her diving below the ocean's surface to explore its secrets and wonders. Swimming past fish, other creatures, like an octopus, and even a submarine, Sophia progresses down to where lost treasures / wait silently, patiently / hoping to be found. But she doesn't feel alone, as her reflection in a treasure chest's mirror reveals a mermaid who becomes a playful companion (I can always see / a friend in me). Eventually it's time to head upward and home, where bedtime awaits. Luminous mixed-media art depicts a vibrant world where fantasy and familiar images flow together, incorporating whimsical touches, like a ubiquitous bird, or heartfelt images, such as a lovely spread of Sophia and her mother nestling asleep, sea dreams floating above. While this could be somewhat esoteric for young ones, subtle nods to creative inspirations and the enchanting visuals make for an immersive read celebrating the joys of imagination.--Shelle Rosenfeld Copyright 2018 Booklist

Canadian artist Luxbacher (Malaika's Costume) travels to the ocean, where blue-black currents swirl and a girl named Sophia invites listeners to explore with her: "Will you dive down and see?... I know you will. You are brave." Dark, lush illustrations survey all sorts of ocean life: "I've seen clowns and angels and four-eyed butterflies," Sophia says. Myriad textures and objects enliven the spreads: fine lines combed by underwater currents, worn sails on the mast of a wrecked ship; newsprint stands in for leaves, and fabric swatches represent seaweed tendrils. While Sophia dives down to discover life under the waves, the text suggests that she's exploring her inner life as well as the deep sea. The reflection she sees in an underwater mirror becomes her companion, an ever-present twin who dances with her ("Deep down, I never feel alone. I can always see a friend in me"). The expedition's goal may be unknown, but the adventure creates a sense of quiet wonder and contentment. Ages 4-7. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

PreS-Gr 2-Sophia, whose proximity to the ocean has clearly informed and inspired her, spins a deep-sea fantasy. The child invites readers to follow her into the depths. Her narration is both succinct and full of rich language, so listeners will have interesting words to ponder while poring over wondrous images. For example, after "an abyss becomes a bottomless pit of possibilities," the girl floats in a protective sphere through a cavernous portal, lit with an orange glow. As Sophia observes circles of varying sizes and colors carrying everything from an atom or music to a key and a dinosaur skeleton, the text reads: "Here, hot gassy bubbles burp ancient secrets from deep inside the center of the Earth." Mixed media and collage art, digitally composed, produce intense colors and a riot of textures that depict the teeming underwater flora and fauna. In a clever scene with sunken treasure, Sophia gazes into a mirror and finds a mermaid dopplegänger, "a friend in me, whose strength lifts me up." Back in her bedroom, eyes closed, mirror and mother by her side, she conjures a whale-shaped, Chagall-like dream-fertile territory for young imaginations. VERDICT The slightly surreal artwork is dreamlike, but the book lacks a child-friendly perspective and widespread appeal.-Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

I live by the sea. / I know all its secrets." A girl named Sophia takes readers on an underwater tour, presenting a place where "tentacles, antennae and teeth disappear into darkness...and an abyss becomes a bottomless pit of possibilities." It's not just the text that's poetic--so is the swirling and swarming mixed-media art, which barely nods at conventional oceanic blues. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Sophia knows all the sea's secrets (its "dragons," "floating forests," "clowns," "angels," and "four-eyed butterflies"), and she invites readers to follow her deep underwater to discover what lies full fathom five. Kaleidoscopic illustrations teem with cerulean colors, shifting shapes, and swirling patterns, evoking oceanic fantasies filled with mysterious sea creatures, treasure, magic, and transformations. Sophia's ebony hair drifts with the current, her porcelain skin glows, and her calm voice coaxes readers down, down, down, where "tentacles, / antennae and teeth disappear into / darknesssand an abyss becomes / a bottomless pit of possibilities." Readers feel woozily enchanted by this little snow-white siren and the myriad underwater miracles as they descend. Shafts of white space, often highlighting the narrative verse, administer welcome breaths of air amid a density of fish and flotsam. Luxbacher's graphite, watercolor, and acrylic illustrations (composed digitally, printed using archival inks and papers, then enhanced with soft-colored pencil and found collage materials) offer opportunity for interpretation and pleasurable scrutiny. Why and how is a little bird trailing Sophia all the way to the ocean's floor? Who is Sophia's reassuring mermaid twin? Readers ride waves of wonder all the way back to dry land, where they find Sophia snuggled in bed with her mother. Masterful artwork and nuanced verse invite readers to hold their breath and dive deep. (Picture book. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

A young girl embarks upon a fanciful aquatic adventure in this beautifully illustrated, often lyrical picture book. Narrator Sophia, who lives seaside, invites readers to join her diving below the ocean's surface to explore its secrets and wonders. Swimming past fish, other creatures, like an octopus, and even a submarine, Sophia progresses down to where "lost treasures / wait silently, patiently / hoping to be found." But she doesn't feel alone, as her reflection in a treasure chest's mirror reveals a mermaid who becomes a playful companion ("I can always see / a friend in me"). Eventually it's time to head upward and home, where bedtime awaits. Luminous mixed-media art depicts a vibrant world where fantasy and familiar images flow together, incorporating whimsical touches, like a ubiquitous bird, or heartfelt images, such as a lovely spread of Sophia and her mother nestling asleep, sea dreams floating above. While this could be somewhat esoteric for young ones, subtle nods to creative inspirations and the enchanting visuals make for an immersive read celebrating the joys of imagination. Grades K-2. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.

Canadian artist Luxbacher (Malaika's Costume) travels to the ocean, where blue-black currents swirl and a girl named Sophia invites listeners to explore with her: "Will you dive down and see?... I know you will. You are brave." Dark, lush illustrations survey all sorts of ocean life: "I've seen clowns and angels and four-eyed butterflies," Sophia says. Myriad textures and objects enliven the spreads: fine lines combed by underwater currents, worn sails on the mast of a wrecked ship; newsprint stands in for leaves, and fabric swatches represent seaweed tendrils. While Sophia dives down to discover life under the waves, the text suggests that she's exploring her inner life as well as the deep sea. The reflection she sees in an underwater mirror becomes her companion, an ever-present twin who dances with her ("Deep down, I never feel alone. I can always see a friend in me"). The expedition's goal may be unknown, but the adventure creates a sense of quiet wonder and contentment. Ages 4–7. (Aug.)

PreS-Gr 2—Sophia, whose proximity to the ocean has clearly informed and inspired her, spins a deep-sea fantasy. The child invites readers to follow her into the depths. Her narration is both succinct and full of rich language, so listeners will have interesting words to ponder while poring over wondrous images. For example, after "an abyss becomes a bottomless pit of possibilities," the girl floats in a protective sphere through a cavernous portal, lit with an orange glow. As Sophia observes circles of varying sizes and colors carrying everything from an atom or music to a key and a dinosaur skeleton, the text reads: "Here, hot gassy bubbles burp ancient secrets from deep inside the center of the Earth." Mixed media and collage art, digitally composed, produce intense colors and a riot of textures that depict the teeming underwater flora and fauna. In a clever scene with sunken treasure, Sophia gazes into a mirror and finds a mermaid dopplegänger, "a friend in me, whose strength lifts me up." Back in her bedroom, eyes closed, mirror and mother by her side, she conjures a whale-shaped, Chagall-like dream—fertile territory for young imaginations. VERDICT The slightly surreal artwork is dreamlike, but the book lacks a child-friendly perspective and widespread appeal.—Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library