What a stunning book! The illustrations are captivating and I enjoyed that above and below the water is shown on each page. On many of the pages, humans are doing activities above the water while sea creatures are living below, which highlights just how close and connected we all are. The accompanying words flow beautifully and match well with the illustrations. I love how this book helps create an appreciation of Earth's amazing seas as well as the animals that live within them.

Sea by John Canty is a beautifully illustrated book about the sea and the creatures in it. It's simple language can draw young minds in. I loved how you could see what was happening above the sea as well as below.

Thank you to Berbay Publishing for providing an advance review copy.

★★★★☆ (4 Stars)

Sea is a beautifully illustrated picture book that celebrates the wonder and diversity of our oceans.

Rather than telling a traditional story, the book gently takes readers on a journey through ocean habitats around the world. From colorful reef fish and playful dolphins to giant whales, sea turtles, sharks, polar bears, and towering icebergs, each spread encourages children to slow down, observe, and appreciate the incredible variety of marine life.

The illustrations are the true star of this book. Many span the entire page, creating a sense of scale that feels immersive, while the minimal text allows the artwork to shine. I especially appreciated the clean typography, which complements the illustrations without distracting from them.

The only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star read for me is that the cover led me to expect a book centered on tropical sea life because of the butterflyfish. Instead, the book explores oceans across the globe—from coral reefs to polar regions. I enjoyed that broader journey, but it wasn’t what I initially expected.

If you have a child who loves animals, the ocean, or simply enjoys lingering over beautiful illustrations, this would make a lovely addition to a home library or classroom and a wonderful gift.

This book was beautiful. I loved the visual of what's happened in the sea at the same time as seeing what's happening on land. The illustration was incredibly well done.

Such an entrancing book!

The artwork for this book is sublime, and made me want to travel to see similar places! Who wouldn't want to go to an aquarium or to the Arctic Circle and see all these wonders?

This is definitely prime material for a science class read-along.

Lovely illustrations. I enjoy the style of being able to see alive and below the water on each page.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. These thoughts and opinions are completely my own.
This book was about things that are in or around the sea.
When my 3-year-old was asked what he thought of the book, he said "It was a nice story, me like."
This was a simple story that talks about things related to the sea, so it can also be mildly educational. My son loved pointing out the different sea creatures.
No language. No spice, obviously.

Sea is a beautifully illustrated picture book that captures the wonder and beauty of the ocean. With simple yet engaging storytelling, it sparks curiosity about marine life while encouraging young readers to appreciate the natural world. A gentle, captivating read that’s perfect for children who love nature and adventure.

John Canty’s Sea is a captivating visual experience, distinguished by its brilliant illustrations that simultaneously capture life above and below the surface. This dual-perspective approach offers young readers a rich, holistic view of the ocean that is both engaging and educational. I look forward to recommending this thoughtfully designed book to our library patrons upon its release.

Illustrations are absolutely beautiful. Was expecting a little more substance in the words to show what's happening below and above the seas. I would say this book is more geared towards much younger readers

Sea (Hardcover)
by John Canty
A beautiful illustrated simple text book to share the love of nature this author has. The remarkable execution of the illustrations showing the various creatures and the interactions of men and the sea is extraordinary. The book is inspirational for science class and the art room. The youngest learners can read and understand the text, and the illustrations bring children into a marvelous unknown world.

I liked this one because the way it shows the ocean and the land at the same time is just really nice. It’s fun to see what’s happening above and below, and the illustrations are done in a way that feels clean and easy to follow. It’s just a genuinely pleasant little book.