“Masterful artwork and nuanced verse invite readers to hold their breath and dive deep.” Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
Sophia bravely dives down to discover the secrets under the sea. She encounters beautiful fish and floating forests. Farther down, the dark water is full of tentacles and treasures. Deep underwater, she is never alone. Do you dare dive down after her?
The ocean is full of endless possibilities in this dreamy, imagistic story from acclaimed author/illustrator Irene Luxbacher. Her otherworldly paintings show colorful fish, rippling seawater and the secrets to be found at the bottom of the ocean. Sophia’s journey will linger with readers long after the return to shore.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
“Masterful artwork and nuanced verse invite readers to hold their breath and dive deep.” Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
Sophia bravely dives down to discover the secrets under the sea. She encounters beautiful fish and floating forests. Farther down, the dark water is full of tentacles and treasures. Deep underwater, she is never alone. Do you dare dive down after her?
The ocean is full of endless possibilities in this dreamy, imagistic story from acclaimed author/illustrator Irene Luxbacher. Her otherworldly paintings show colorful fish, rippling seawater and the secrets to be found at the bottom of the ocean. Sophia’s journey will linger with readers long after the return to shore.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Aug 1, 2018 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 10 in x 10 in |
| Keywords | nature; wonder; sealife; animals; exploration and adventure; ocean; imagination and play; under the sea; natural world; respect for environment; respect for self; caring; appreciation; low level wordless text; first person narration; child as narrator; figurative language; simile; metaphor; questioning; Common Core aligned; CC Literature Craft and Structure; CC Literature Integration of Knowledge and Ideas; kindergarten; grade 1; grade 2; grade 3; picture book; collage style artwork; |
| Written By |
IRENE LUXBACHER is an artist and author living in Toronto, Ontario, who has received many awards for her work. She has written and illustrated Deep Underwater, an Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award finalist, and Mr. Frank, which was selected as a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her illustrations for the Malaika series by Nadia L. Hohn have been highly acclaimed, and her illustrations for The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. |
| Illustrated by |
IRENE LUXBACHER is an artist and author living in Toronto, Ontario, who has received many awards for her work. She has written and illustrated Deep Underwater, an Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award finalist, and Mr. Frank, which was selected as a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her illustrations for the Malaika series by Nadia L. Hohn have been highly acclaimed, and her illustrations for The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. |
| Written By |
|
IRENE LUXBACHER is an artist and author living in Toronto, Ontario, who has received many awards for her work. She has written and illustrated Deep Underwater, an Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award finalist, and Mr. Frank, which was selected as a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her illustrations for the Malaika series by Nadia L. Hohn have been highly acclaimed, and her illustrations for The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. |
| Illustrated by |
|
IRENE LUXBACHER is an artist and author living in Toronto, Ontario, who has received many awards for her work. She has written and illustrated Deep Underwater, an Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award finalist, and Mr. Frank, which was selected as a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her illustrations for the Malaika series by Nadia L. Hohn have been highly acclaimed, and her illustrations for The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. |
| Audience | ages 4 to 7 / grades K to 2 |
| Reading Levels |
Fountas & Pinnel Text Level M
Lexile AD570L Guided Reading M |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.6 |
“Readers ride waves of wonder … Masterful artwork and nuanced verse invite readers to hold their breath and dive deep.” —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
“… subtle nods to creative inspirations and the enchanting visuals make for an immersive read celebrating the joys of imagination.” —Booklist
“… the adventure creates a sense of quiet wonder and contentment.” —Publishers Weekly
“[Luxbacher's] narration is both succinct and full of rich language, so listeners will have interesting words to ponder while poring over wondrous images… . Mixed media art and collage, digitally composed, produce intense colors and a riot of textures that depict the teeming underwater flora and fauna.” —School Library Journal
“In calm and soothing passages, this water nymph takes readers on an immersive adventure… . There is a lovely tranquility and depth to this ocean story that lies intriguingly below the shimmering surface.” —Quill & Quire