A solitary child rejoices in the special beauty of a seaside home.

Simple rhyming couplets and colorful, textured collages make this book evocative and charming, even for children who may not be familiar with the ocean. This young child seems to live independently in the titular house; while improbable, this is a fantasy that many readers will find appealing. In a final note, the author describes her connection with Newfoundland, where the little blue house of the title is located, and her fascination with the idea that the endless ocean could connect friends "who love the ocean as I do, and want to keep it safe, alive, and beautiful." A reassuringly fresh and simple take on nature in a complex world.

In a world where travel has now become difficult, transport your child to the ocean with the critically acclaimed creative team who, individually, are behind several best-selling titles. Although it is a simple story that follows a little girl across the shore and through a storm, the book carries a deeper meaning.

The little blue house could be overlooking any ocean, and the narrator could be any child anywhere, gazing out over the waters, thinking about all the places s/he could go and imagining other little blue houses on other shores, with other children gazing back. Now more than ever, this message of unity is so important. We should be teaching our children to make connections with those from different backgrounds as at the end of the day, we all share the great, wide, wonderful world.

At the back of the book, in 'A Note from Jo Ellen', this message is conveyed beautifully through a personal childhood anecdote and a plea that we look after the oceans that serve us so well.

Overall, I can envision the lyrical Little Blue House Beside the Sea next to the likes of The Storm Whale by Benji Davies and for those curious to what lives in the sea, The Big Book of the Blue by Yuval Zommer.