Bloom

Once, the ocean was full of friends. But lately, things have been changing... Julia Seal has both written and illustrated Bloom as a way to show the damage pollution and rising water temperatures are having on our oceans.

The story focuses on a bright and adventurous jellyfish called Luna. She loves her ocean home and all the friends that live there with her. She spends her days playing, swimming and exploring but the thing she loves most is returning home to tell her friends all about the wonders beyond the reef. Lately, however, small things seem to be changing around the reef. Hermit's new shell is rather unusual, turtles favourite dinner tastes a little off and octopus can't help but feel a little warmer than usual.

Disaster strikes on Luna's next return home....the coral reef is abandoned and whitewashed! The colours and friends that made it home have gone and are no where to be seen. Luna sets off to find out what has happened and after failing to gain some insight from some "new" residents of the ocean, she finally strikes lucky when she spots a bloom of jellyfish floating through the blue waters. After explaining her dilemma to the bloom, the jellyfish work together to not only find Luna's friends but also to try and make a collective change. Together, they make it clear that something is wrong with the oceans and that it is everyone's responsibility to protect the world's oceans.

Julia Seal has produced a book of great importance as it addresses the problem of sea pollution and climate change. Many books have been published in recent years that are aimed at highlighting the need for change but this is the first title I have come across that takes the approach from the point of view of a jellyfish. Despite being a story book, the text ends with a paragraph of fact around the jellyfish being known as an indicator species. This allows this book to lend itself wonderfully to the primary science and PHSE curriculum as it covers the concepts of animals, habitats and protecting our world.

I found the story itself to flow well but it ends quite abruptly, I never felt like it quite got going and found myself feeling some connections to "Finding Nemo". Despite this, I will certainly be using this text as part of my future teaching as a good quality text.

Picture book / Reviewed by Kyle Matravers, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+