Blurb
Setsuko loves the sea. She swims its shallows. She dives its depths. But she worries that her friends have chosen to abandon her way of life. Then she meets a whale who also fears he is the last of his kind. In return for giving him hope, he gifts her a song which she uses to remind people of the beauty of the ocean. Setsuko took the song and made it her own. They played together from the first crisp light of morning until the setting of the evening sun. Everyone who heard Setsuko’s song was filled with the wonder of the sea. They remembered the beauty and mystery of the ocean. A story of an unlikely friendship, Setsuko and her friend the whale have one thing in common ― their love of the sea. Much like the revered ama-san, ― women who have been diving off the coast of the Shima peninsula in Japan for over 2,000 years ― Setsuko is a strong girl who is on the path to becoming one of these real-life mermaids. 10% of the net profits from each book will be donated to the Marine Conservation Society, the UK charity working for seas full of life. Visit www.mcs.org.uk to find out more.
Buy Links
Publisher Shop – https://bit.ly/3cfj7mp
Waterstones – https://bit.ly/2YgEDz2
Foyles – https://bit.ly/3ooqzxS
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3a63xHb
Goodreads – https://bit.ly/3iNZ0gw
My Review
Absolutely beautiful story of a woman and a whale, a lover of the sea who learns the whale song that calls people to care for the ocean.
The story is simple but very moving. It is written in English and Japanese. It explains in simple terms the love of the ocean and the tradition of diving by Japanese women.
The illustrations are very well done, showing the damage to the oceans with rubbish but also the beauty of marine life and the relationship of humans to the sea.
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