Secret Seahorse

by Stella Blackstone

Descend into the depths of the vast blue sea to meet all kinds of aquatic creatures. This hide-and-seek, rhyming selection follows the search for a speedy seahorse through the astonishing coral reef. The paperback edition includes educational notes at the end with information about seahorses and coral reefs and the creatures that live there.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Animals, Nature, Summer, Juvenile

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

See also: Tessa Strickland

Tessa Strickland is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of independent children’s publisher Barefoot Books. As Stella Blackstone, she has written many bestselling picture books for children. As an editor, she has worked with authors and illustrators all over the world.

—from http://www.arvon.org/tutors/tessa-str...

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our "Starfish Stuff Story Time" began with this delightful look-and-find picture book featuring a sneaky seahorse on every page. The performer "spied with my little eye" a seahorse, asking "do you see the seahorse, too?" The children were quick to spy the seahorse. The performer said, "shhh, it's a SECRET seahorse" and then told them to "shhhh" whenever they spied the seahorse.

You can take as much or as little time as you wish on each page of the book, depending on whether or not you stop to count one or more of the species pictured. At the book's end there is information about Coral Reefs and each of the creatures pictured, inviting the observer to revisit the pages for further exploration.

For entertainment purposes, a performer can also invite the children to mimic the sea creatures, such as snapping like crabs, bending over and floating like jellyfish, waving arms up high like anemones, etc.

It is also fun to have the children repeat after you fun new words like "anemone".

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute picture book that would be great for kids who love sea creatures. However, it ended a little abruptly, and I thought that the informational pages in the back were laid out oddly. The book is about seahorses, and after the story readers are presented with, not seahorse facts, but facts about the coral reef, despite the fact that coral was not mentioned anywhere in the story. Young kids aren't great at bridging big cognitive leaps like this one, and they might lose interest here. The last page presents seahorse facts, but thematically it would have made more sense to put that page right at the end of the story.

[Mavis’s Dad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Seahorse was an unexpected gem. The art is made to look like felt stitching, the words form a delicate rhyme and the reader gets to search for a seahorse on every page. If that’s not enough, it’s a Barefoot Book so it’s educational too.

Moral: The ocean has a great many surprises for us.

Length: I could have chased this seahorse around all day, so I thought the book flew by.

Favorite Line: “He swam past reefs of coral, with colors flower bright.”

Overall Impression: Stella Blackstone and Clare Beaton have designed and authored a book that has repeated value, regardless of the age or your child. Mavis typically enjoys her books, but even I had fun with this one. Every time she said “What’s that?” I had a new fun thing to explain. Next up: an aquarium so we can go search for some seahorses in real life.

[Lyndsay-ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thing really good about this book is the art. It looks like everything was cute out of fabric and stitched together and looks really well done. Definitely a lot of work went into it.

The story though is not overly interesting or entertaining. I did enjoy the seek and find aspect with the seahorse.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the illustrations in this book, and all the different sea animals portrayed in the illustrations as well. Looking for the seahorse kept my audiences of 2 year olds and their parents occupied. I had them put their finger on their nose, (head, chin, cheek, toe, etc.) when they saw the seahorse.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is cute, and the crafted coral reef is a pleasure to look at. PLUS. It rhymes.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated book with a simple rhyme about a seahorse. Good for younger children.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book following the cute seahorse hiding in different places on most pages of the story.

The illustrations are unique with material and notions used by the illustrator to create fun pictures.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator tries to find a seahorse and finds a whole seahorse family.

[Tracy Mabry · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute and inspiring! I found this as I was becoming interested in working with felt, beads, and sequins! Perfect.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crafted illustrations make this one unique, and readers can search for the seahorse on each page.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[jacky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie is taking her first visit to the aquarium soon, so I was anxious to find books about fish and this one was just sitting there waiting for us. She liked looking at the fish some, but wasn't ready to look for the seahorse. This would be great fun for an older toddler or preschooler. I really liked the variety in fish and sea creatures. I also liked how the artwork was all made out of fabrics and such. A sea turtle with sequins was a big bonus! What an awesome fabric book the original art must make!

[Lyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sea horse leads the reader past coral reefs and underwater creatures to a sea horse family hidden in a cave. Includes notes on coral reefs and various marine animals.

This book is great for a few reasons. 1. The illustrations are created out of fabric, beads, etc and are exquisite. 2. It's fun for kids to find the seahorse on each page. 3. There's some great information for young kids about coral reefs and marine animals.

[Jacinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot describe how beautifully crafted this book is! Basically the entire book was created by someone sewing together amazing felt, bead and sequin story boards and then photographing them. The rhyming story itself complements the illustrations/craft perfectly with both tying together perfectly for a wonderful underwater adventure, meeting various sealife in the hunt for the seahorse.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. The story is quite usual but the illustrations in antique fabrics and felt with sequins, buttons, beads and assorted bric-a-brac is fabulously delicious and gorgeous! Children will get lost in this myriad of beauty and encourage the blossoming of their imagination.

[Christine Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sea horse leads the reader past coral reefs and underwater creatures to a sea horse family hidden in a cave. Includes notes on coral reefs and various marine animals. www.hcpl.net

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

very innovative art work. for those of us who have limited skill with our ahnds, very impressive.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the artwork in this book and the words are quite nice. Any book where you have to search for something is always a hit at my house, so the littles like it, too.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My preschoolers loved looking for the hidden seahorse in each picture and were thrilled at the end to find the seahorse in a cave with his family!

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book where you can look for the seahorse on every page. I really enjoyed the artwork in this book

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three stars for the text; five for the illustrations.

[TwoDrinks · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the reasons I liked this was because the illustrations are done in fabric. Really cleverly as well.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty artwork but I think for the age intended should use bigger fonts

[Stacey Mulholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love looking for the seahorse. Craftmanship is fantastic.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful felt and fabric illustrations with sequins and other objects. Great for story time, letting the children find the seahorse on each page.

[Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowan loves to read this one and find the hidden seahorse on each page.

[Kay Robart · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2016...

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw original artwork at Strathmore's exhibit: Turning the Page: Children’s Book Illustrations