The Sea in Me – Cody Simpson. Written with Jess Black. Illustrated by Amandine Thomas.

Penguin Australia

June 2024

ISBN: 9781761049965
Imprint: Penguin
$19.99

One of the reasons we love where we live is that it is only a five minute walk to the sea. We see the placid ripples of Moreton Bay every single day and it never fails to soothe us, no matter how we are feeling or what kind of day it’s been.

Then we are off for an hour’s drive to the Sunshine Coast, just as we are today, regularly every couple of weeks for The Kid to surf. She never minds if the surf itself is not great, because she says that just being on her board and bobbing up and down with the swell, or duck-diving through the water is enough for her to feel meditative and relaxed. She calls it her salt water therapy. We know we are blessed.

So I can completely relate to this charming book from athlete, musician, writer and internet sensation, Cody Simpson in able collaboration with Jess Black. It is an easily understood allegory for children to help them untangle the frazzle of busy days at school, overwhelming feelings when things go wrong or the frustrations that can come with just regular expectations.

I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give kiddos is to teach them mindfulness and how to wind themselves down. I’ve mentioned before it is a regular addition to relief days now, as it was an offering in my libraries and classrooms previously.

A five minute relaxation strategy can work miracles – even to the most unruly or rambunctious students. Take yours on a deep dive into calming waters with this one, which is full of wonderful vocabulary and language that will also be an inspiration for them to create their own mindfulness scenario. The charming and vibrant illustrations will also be a great springboard to create some similar artworks.

Jess was kind enough to allow me to share some photos from an activity she did with some kiddos when the book was released and now you can also use these to give you ideas for follow-ups in your own teaching space. I’m giving it a 4 🧘🧘🧘🧘 rating for your Smalls from around 4 years upward.