Under the Sand (Millie Lewis, illus Marina Borkun, Five Mile)

A little girl named Elizabeth is digging on the beach for lost treasure when her spade hits something solid, and she ‘crie[s] out with pleasure’ … ‘What could it be, this thing under the sand?’ Millie Lewis’s Under the Sand opens by posing questions to the reader, inviting them to join Elizabeth in uncovering the mystery. Is it a dragon’s golden egg? Is it a white pearl from a mermaid queen’s crown? What about a cannonball from a pirate ship? Or a large bead from a giant’s necklace? This imaginative and creative story is filled with perfect rhythm, rhyme and alliteration and tons of fantasy and mystery that will keep readers eager to discover what this magical object might be. At its heart, the story conveys that, sometimes, the real treasure is the excitement and anticipation of discovery, rather than the discovered object itself. Marina Borkun’s illustrations beautifully alternate between Elizabeth and her dog on the beach and the whimsical fantasy creatures and fairytales she imagines. From the engaging story and playful guessing game to the delightful artwork and fun endpapers, Under the Sand will appeal to young readers aged 4+, especially fans of Kate and Jol Temple or Amy Dunjey.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Brenton Cullen is an emerging children's author and freelance writer of articles, reviews and interviews when not working part-time in a bookshop. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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