The Silver Sea by Alison Lester & Jane Godwin

When two of the best in Australian children’s literature get together, it’s time to rejoice. Having worked together with Indigenous children to make books, Jane Godwin and Alison Lester have had lots of creative experiences and now they have collaborated with patients at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne to produce this shimmering and magical book.

Over an 18-month period they held workshops with sick kids and teachers and the theme of the ocean provided plenty of inspiration for discussion and imagination. The sparkling, poetic narrative is accompanied by joyous, colourful pictures of an underwater world alive with magical and majestic creatures; the children have obviously had lots of fun. The profits from the book will go to the RCH and I feel really privileged to write a review for a children’s book with such an enriching and inspirational background. For 18 months and up.


Alexa Dretzke is the assistant manager and children’s book buyer at Readings Hawthorn.