#BookReview of #WiderThanTheSea by Serena Molloy | @happy_scribbler

‘The powerful tale of a girl who feels broken, and the dolphin who makes her whole’
– Wider Than The Sea by Serena Molloy

[ About Wider Than The Sea by Serena Molloy ]

Ró finds school impossible. When she reads, the words seem to jump around on the page. and she just can’t make them stick.

But when she goes to the bay each afternoon to watch a dolphin leap through the water, she finds the strength to keep going.
Then the dolphin disappears, and everything in her life starts falling apart.
Can Ró overcome her fears to find him?

[ My Review ]

Wider Than The Sea by Serena Molloy publishes March 30th with Hodder Children’s Books and is described as ‘a story of friendship, hope and self-discovery’. An outstanding & special book Wider Than The Sea has such creativity in its design, beautifully illustrated in black and white by George Ermos and is perfect for readers aged 9+.

I was honoured to be part of the cover reveal for Wider Than The Sea so I was delighted to receive an advance copy of this wee gem. Serena Molloy endured her own personal struggle with dyslexia as a child, until an inspirational teacher changed her life. As a result of these experiences, it was very important to Serena that her writing be very inclusive at all times, celebrating neurodiversity, empathy and the power to change. Ró, the main character in Wider Than The Sea, is described as ‘a beautiful portrait of a dyslexic character who finds the power to finally speak up’.

I read many books and, as my kids are now older, I rarely read children’s books but I am so very happy I picked up Wider Than The Sea. My heart melted as I saw the world through the eyes of a young girl struggling to fit in. Incredibly, the layout of the pages, with their wonderful words and dialogue, made me feel like I was inside the mind of Ró, this feisty and gorgeous child. It is an absolute testament to the relationship that must have existed between writer and illustrator, with George Ermos excellently depicting Ró’s difficulties, as written by Serena Molloy.

SOMETIMES…
sitting here at the back of the class
I pretend I have a magic cloak
it shimmers and shines
and sparkles
CRACKLING with
electricity
wrap it tight around me
and slowly slowly
I start to fade away
till there’s
nothing
left
at
all.

Wider Than The Sea tells the story of Ró, a young girl who doesn’t fit in. She is an only child on the cusp of puberty. Everything in her life is changing and Ró is afraid of being left behind. Ró is fearful of others knowing of her struggle with words so she tries other ways to cover up what she sees as being her own fault, what she sees as being stupid. Ró loves art and nature, especially Sunny the dolphin who has appeared in the sea near her home. Ró connects with Sunny but on a day when she really needs him, he is no longer there. Ró sees Sunny’s disappearance as another unwanted change in her life and she makes a dramatic decision.

Wider Than The Sea is truly an exceptional reading experience, written with a clear understanding and capturing, in wonderful detail, the spirit of Ró. Not just a beautiful book, Wider Than The Sea is a very important book, one I really suggest that ALL primary schools have a copy of for their teachers and students alike. There is a lot to learn from Ró’s story. Astute, magical and heart-warming, Wider Than The Sea ticks every box and is one that I highly recommend to all.

Congratulations Serena Molloy. I wish you every success with Ró.

[ Bio ]

Serena Molloy was born in Wexford, Ireland, and is an English teacher who has taught in different schools across the UK. She settled in Galway with her family, where she can see the sea every day. As a mum of four, her house is always noisy but never, ever dull.

Twitter ~ @happy_scribbler

Don’t forget you can check out all my reviews HERE .
Please do let me know your thoughts and of course a share
is always very much appreciated.