l to r: Laura Alary and Andrea Blinick

Laura Alary’s Sea in my Cells is a playful exploration of a precious resource we often take for granted – water. Alary’s storytelling is engaging and wonder-filled, anticipating the most pressing questions children might ask: Where does water come from? Where does water go? 

The book is presented as a conversation, where a child asks a question, and Alary provides the answer. Sometimes she takes on the voice of a scientist or teacher, and at other times, she is a friend. Alary conveys potentially didactic scientific information using poetic descriptions, to ignite the reader’s imagination: “Maybe it was once an iceberg, or a mist in a rainforest. Maybe it fell as snowflakes on a woolly mammoth, or was lapped up by a thirsty Stegosaurus!”

Perhaps what is most skilful about Alary’s narrative is her ability to bring together the macrocosmic with the microcosmic. She explains a process that can feel far bigger than us, at a remove from our daily lives, in a way that reminds us of how interconnected we really are: “Wind swept over the water and gathered moisture into the air the way the breeze dries the sweat from your flushed face.”

Illustration: Andrea Blinick.

Blinick’s illustrations complement Alary’s expansive imagination, splashing each page with joy and layered magic. From a spilled glass opening into the sea to whimsical depictions of children engaged in scientific experiments, the illustrations bring together the big picture with everyday realities. Blinick includes a glass of water on almost every page to serve as a reminder to the reader that “the water in your glass has been many things in many places at many times.”

The author’s note, which provides deeper opportunities for contemplation and connection, is a welcome addition to the book: “Water shapes our planet. It pounds rocky beaches into sand, sculpts mountains and valleys, seeps into the smallest cracks and breaks apart boulders as it freezes and thaws.”

The author’s note ends with a request to the reader to practice gratitude each time water is consumed – whether it comes in the form of our morning tea or an evening bath.

At a time of climate emergency, it is more vital than ever for children to understand the connection between their lives and the fragile ecosystem of the Earth. Sea in my Cells will inspire students, parents, and teachers alike.