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Hidden Treasure
A stunning story about a girl who notices all the treasures around her. From award-winning author-illustrator Elly MacKay comes a story exploring the little treasures we find in everyday places. When a young treasure hunter goes to the beach for a day of playing in the surf, she dives deep under the waves to find treasures of all kinds. Some treasures have stories to tell and others are too precious to keep. It seems treasure is everywhere, but nothing could make her feel more like a queen than a perfect day at the beach with her grandfather and furry best friend.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published June 1, 2021
2 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Elly MacKay
30 books105 followersI’m Elly MacKay, a.k.a Theater Clouds. I live in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada with my husband Simon and little ones, Lily and Koen. I live a short drive from where I grew up – in an old church in Big Bay. I am an artist, making scenes using paper, light and photography. I refer to it as paper theater, lightbox illustrations or illuminated papercraft… It has been several years, but I am still working on a name for this technique.
I went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and the University of Canterbury for illustration, printmaking and electronic art. However, it wasn’t until the birth of my daughter Lily, that I began working in this way.
Well, sort of…
I used to spend a great deal of time as a kid making dioramas and tunnel books. As a teen, I sold them at 1st Hand Gallery in Toronto. I stopped making them when I went off to art school to explore other interests. After graduating I was enjoying working at a gallery but the birth of my daughter sparked something in me. I wanted to create things in the way that I had in my youth. I wanted to make things for the simple pleasure of making… to create my own little worlds and explore childhood again through my daughter’s eyes. I told my husband about my wish and he made me a beautiful little theater to work in. These illuminated paper scenes are a return to working with layers of paper like the dioramas and tunnel books I had made as a kid, but with the addition of lighting and photography. I set up layers of drawings on a small scale in my very tiny stage. They are wonderfully fun to create. You can take a look at my process page, to see how I make them.
I use this technique to create photographic prints and illustrations for children’s books. At times I have worked on a larger scale, creating installations. In the future I hope to do some animation as well. Simon recently made an animation table so hopefully I will be able to show you my simple stop-motion animations. I take inspiration from several sources:
My work often plays with the themes of childhood, and the ephemeral. I look to my own childhood, and to my experience as a mother.
I have a fascination with Victorian curiosities, and set design. I love anything that involves a trick of the eye – zoetropes, paper theaters, tunnel books, pop-ups, etc. As a teen, I took a trip to meet members of The Movable Book Society with my Mom, Joan Irvine. She is a paper-engineer and author. The trip was an education in papercraft.
I am also always looking to the land and weather here on Georgian Bay for inspiration.
ETSY:
https://www.etsy.com/people/theatercl...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/theaterclouds
I went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and the University of Canterbury for illustration, printmaking and electronic art. However, it wasn’t until the birth of my daughter Lily, that I began working in this way.
Well, sort of…
I used to spend a great deal of time as a kid making dioramas and tunnel books. As a teen, I sold them at 1st Hand Gallery in Toronto. I stopped making them when I went off to art school to explore other interests. After graduating I was enjoying working at a gallery but the birth of my daughter sparked something in me. I wanted to create things in the way that I had in my youth. I wanted to make things for the simple pleasure of making… to create my own little worlds and explore childhood again through my daughter’s eyes. I told my husband about my wish and he made me a beautiful little theater to work in. These illuminated paper scenes are a return to working with layers of paper like the dioramas and tunnel books I had made as a kid, but with the addition of lighting and photography. I set up layers of drawings on a small scale in my very tiny stage. They are wonderfully fun to create. You can take a look at my process page, to see how I make them.
I use this technique to create photographic prints and illustrations for children’s books. At times I have worked on a larger scale, creating installations. In the future I hope to do some animation as well. Simon recently made an animation table so hopefully I will be able to show you my simple stop-motion animations. I take inspiration from several sources:
My work often plays with the themes of childhood, and the ephemeral. I look to my own childhood, and to my experience as a mother.
I have a fascination with Victorian curiosities, and set design. I love anything that involves a trick of the eye – zoetropes, paper theaters, tunnel books, pop-ups, etc. As a teen, I took a trip to meet members of The Movable Book Society with my Mom, Joan Irvine. She is a paper-engineer and author. The trip was an education in papercraft.
I am also always looking to the land and weather here on Georgian Bay for inspiration.
ETSY:
https://www.etsy.com/people/theatercl...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/theaterclouds
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 16, 2021
I remember seeing Elly MacKay at an authors event several years ago, and she told us how she got so much light into her work, which is why I wanted to look at this pretty book.
July 24, 2022
Important message, told with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. I like how the characters are 'brown' and therefore the appeal might be more universal. I definitely want to see more work by the author/illustrator.
Highly recommended for the theme that 'treasure' is all around us, especially easy to see if we have a good imagination. And since kids are naturally covetous, MacKay has the girl choose just one souvenir, to keep for awhile (presumably return that shell or stone the next time she visits the beach). I hope the bits and bobs that are actually trash don't come back, though... talk with your kids about their reaction to trash as treasure.
Highly recommended for the theme that 'treasure' is all around us, especially easy to see if we have a good imagination. And since kids are naturally covetous, MacKay has the girl choose just one souvenir, to keep for awhile (presumably return that shell or stone the next time she visits the beach). I hope the bits and bobs that are actually trash don't come back, though... talk with your kids about their reaction to trash as treasure.
July 9, 2021
If you’re in Canada, then most likely you are experiencing things reopening for the first time in a long time. And while international travel is still a bit of a pipe dream, travelling locally or within Canada is definitely an option this summer. What I loved about Elly McKay’s Hidden Treasure is that it’s a story about the simple pleasures in life. I love seeing the little girl’s joy and wonder as she ventures out to the beach with her papa along with all the discoveries she makes along the way. The illustrations are gorgeous and definitely elevates the story to the next level. I love how they’re created separately, and the photographed to create the scenes, and the use of cello wrap for the ocean is a unique choice that truly captures the magic of the water. Hidden Treasure is one of those books that feels like a warm hug, as its message is one of not only taking the time to find the “treasures” in the everyday little things but also of treasuring your loved ones and the time you get to spend with them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2021
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is Hidden Treasure by Elly MacKay, a sweet, summery ode to the small yet priceless treasures to be found all around us.
A young girl makes for the beach with her Papa and her dog, excited to hunt for treasures. There are things in the shops they pass that others might deem valuable, but the girl knows that the best treasures are found for free at the quiet seashore; in the surf, in the grass, in the seabed, and even in the sky. There are unique stones, a whale’s tooth, a moth’s cocoon (though that last treasure, she insists, is best left alone to simply enjoy through observation). After a day of diving and beach-combing, she and her Papa choose the best additions to her treasure box, and she notes that the very best treasures are the ones that cannot be held in hand at all – sometimes, they’re just a day spent together at the beach.
Gorgeous. With a combination of calm yet playful text and warm, soothing visuals – done in a dreamy diorama style that blends real-life materials with charming cutout illustrations – MacKay perfectly evokes the quiet adventure and exploration of a childhood day at the beach. The art is the standout, creating scenes that feel both fantastically grand yet wildly intimate, such as the girl lining up her treasures on a dock as she treads water beneath it, or a massive sunlit cloud that suggests the shape of a pirate frigate. The rich and meditative text is gentle and relaxing, and the length is perfect for a storytime. JJ and I both really enjoyed this one: it’s a great way to wind little bookworms down after a busy summer day. Overall, a lovely and sunny read – Baby Bookworm approved!
(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
April 3, 2022
The rhythm of the poetry is completely off many times throughout. This makes it a frustrating book to read, especially out loud. The art style is lovely, but the images themselves don't show enough of the treasures we are reading so much about. For example, "This one looks like a tooth from a whale." is a full spread of a girl and dog standing in the water with a whale-shaped cloud overhead. The thing shaped like a whale tooth is so teeny tiny in her hand it's almost impossible to see. Some close=ups of the treasures would have made the art so much more meaningful.
September 23, 2021
A little girl goes to the beach with her dog and her caregiver and discovers various little treasures throughout their stay. This is a beautiful book, the illustrations are wonderful and the text is alright. I love how the clouds take on familiar shapes on a couple of pages, overall the illustrations are just wonderfully atmospheric and have a slightly whimsical feel. This would be great to read with those little treasure collectors (feathers, rocks, shells, etc.).
January 5, 2022
Beautiful art, nice concept, but alas, the rhythm of the text is choppy. In order to make it rhyme, you have to keep changing the cadence of your reading:
Three little shells and a speckled rock.
I line up my treasures on the dock.
A bubble wand, a rusty key, a marble too, all lost at sea.
Followed by:
Sometimes a treasure is too special to keep,
like cocoons where moths are fast asleep.
Awkward. And that's sad, because otherwise this is a good picture book.
Three little shells and a speckled rock.
I line up my treasures on the dock.
A bubble wand, a rusty key, a marble too, all lost at sea.
Followed by:
Sometimes a treasure is too special to keep,
like cocoons where moths are fast asleep.
Awkward. And that's sad, because otherwise this is a good picture book.
March 9, 2023
This is a great read! It is so beautifully illustrated and is so sweet. It is about a girl who is searching for hidden treasure at the beach. She finds some objects but in the end realizes her best treasure is spending time with her papa. I love and cherish my grandpa so dearly and this made me think of him. This is a good book to share with children that quality time is more important than the quality.
August 17, 2021
Beautiful images. "Elly's unique process involves drawing, inking, and cutting layers of paper, and setting them up in a miniature theatre. She then photographs the scenes."
I felt the rhyming limited the storytelling, but maybe that's the best way to tell children this story. I liked that it acknowledged not all treasures get to go home with you.
I felt the rhyming limited the storytelling, but maybe that's the best way to tell children this story. I liked that it acknowledged not all treasures get to go home with you.
October 25, 2021
Illustrations are nice, although some items are a bit too small to see. The message is good, but I would have liked to see a page where the items found don't belong in the ocean or beach, were thrown away or recycled.
October 29, 2021
One little girl goes to the beach. As always, she is delighted by the treasures she finds there.
While I can't say I was enticed by the plot, the illustrations were really lovely. This is a good sort of book to fall asleep to.
While I can't say I was enticed by the plot, the illustrations were really lovely. This is a good sort of book to fall asleep to.
February 15, 2022
The author’s choice of words will keep readers turning the page. The story teaches young readers about all kinds of treasures that can be found at the beach! But, what’s the most special treasure of all?
August 6, 2022
Elly Mackay crafts a simple, stunning exploration of what makes a treasure. Lovely and breezy, this story transports you to the sparkling sea and shows you, through the eyes of a child, some valued beauties of nature and family. ❤
February 27, 2024
A lovely message that treasure can be found anywhere and in everyday places. A great reminder that the best treasure is the company of loved ones. Lovely illuminated illustrations that really seem to bring out the sunshine on every page.
read-picture-books
June 18, 2021Gorgeous illustrations/photography.
July 8, 2021
Summertime treasures that you find around the beach. Sweet story with amazing illustrations.
Reviewed from a library copy.
Reviewed from a library copy.
July 19, 2021
A girl finds many different kinds of treasure at the beach.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2021
A girl goes to her favorite place with her father: the beach. There, she discovers many treasures in the things she loves most about this place.
August 10, 2021
3.5 stars.
August 16, 2021
Great read for kids soon to go to the beach (or those who live close and go frequently).
Talks about finding treasures in nature and only taking one home.
Talks about finding treasures in nature and only taking one home.
August 17, 2021
Sweet story of a girl who goes to the beach with her papa and dog to find treasures.
August 30, 2021
Cute rhyming book with beautiful illustrations. Great message about treasures for my kid who want to keep EVERYTHING.
September 9, 2021
Gorgeous book and illustrations with a poetical narrative. I wish I could step into the story.
October 13, 2021
Such a warm fuzzy book about looking for treasure. The author reminds us that treasure is all around us in nature and in the people we love.
March 23, 2022
Stunning book
April 30, 2022
Exploring the water and finding treasures.
August 11, 2022
This book is a treasure to read and the illustrations are so unique and unusual. Elkton MacKay is a true Tallent! My daughter and I both enjoyed this treasure immensely.
April 1, 2025
Not my favorite of hers
April 18, 2023
lovely
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews