A Gift from the Sea
Author: 
Melanie Kunz
Illustrator: 
Srivi
age group: 
5+ yrs
Number of pages: 
28
Publisher: 
Tulika
Themes:
grandparents disability
Genre:
picture book
 

 

Mostly all children can recall the excitement of going to the beach, digging their feet in the sand, finding shells and other flotsam jetsam. This bi-lingual book is a heart-warming story depicting the strong bond between a child and her grandmother.

Rani is visiting her grandmother in the city and is all excited about going to the beach, playing in the water and digging her feet into the sand. As she walks on the beach she is intrigued by the many articles washed ashore by the tide, a feather, a flower garland, a bag, an empty bottle and a shell. She decides that as her grandmother could not accompany her to the sea, she would take the sea to her. She cleverly picks up a few appropriate items to present them to her and was well-rewarded to see the look of sheer happiness and joy on her blind and aged grandmother’s face as she listens to the sound of the ocean by placing the shell to her ears, tastes the salt water of the sea and feels the cool sand slip between her fingers.

In this day and age of nuclear families when children are becoming more and more self-absorbed and insular, a book that talks about the joy of caring, sharing and thoughtfulness towards the aged and elderly members of the family will play an important role in sensitising them. 

Reviewed by Shamim Padamsee