Town Is By the Sea is the atmospheric picture book from Joanne Schwartz and Sydney Smith.
Our narrator tells the story, from his house by the sea, by the town. His father is a miner, working deep underneath the sea in the coal mines.
Every morning, when he wakes the first he sees is the sea, beneath which his dad is already working. He goes to the park, eats lunch, runs errands for his mum – but each stage of his day offers glimpses of the sea, and reminders of where his dad is.
Schwartz’s narrator is a calm, yet touching glimpse into community, family and friendship. Smith’s illustrations dominate with evocative hues. Wonderfully sparkling sea filled vistas contrast deeply with the darkness of the mines
“I’m a miner’s son.
In my town, that’s the way it goes.”
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