Reading opens up a whole new world for kids. They might be inside the walls of their home or even their rooms, but as they read they are transported to Camelot, outer space, or Ancient Greece. We recently had the opportunity to read Ana and the Sea Star by R. Lynne Roelfs. We were transported to the beach in this calming tale of ocean life and conservation.

Ana and her father are walking along the beach when they see a sea star laying near a tide pool area. She wants to take the sea star home, but her father reminds her of the dangers to the sea star if she wants to do this. She is worried she won’t be able to show her mom their wonderful find, but her father quietly tells her how she will be able to remember and tell her mom about all they had saw, without risking the life of the sea star.

Throughout this wonderful story, your child will be taken into the depths of the ocean as the sea star returns to the sea. They will get to see a sting ray, sea turtle, and other ocean animals.

Ana’s father introduces her to the power of using her imagination. This wonderful ability allows kids to transfer themselves into worlds they create or through books, just like we did with Ana.

The illustrations that were created by Jamie Hogan, were soft and calming. This is how I feel about the ocean waves, that they have a calming effect. Ana and the Sea Star was a great relaxing story to read together.

We read Ana and the Sea Star while we were working on our ocean unit study. The last pages of the book tell the kids a little about each of the animals they see in the illustrations throughout the book. I really like how the scientific accurate details only complement and enhance the story.

The next time your child says they are bored, tell them to close their eyes and find a new place to play in their imagination.  They could join Ana and the Sea Star at the beach.

-Product review by Renita Kuehner, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February, 2018