The Sea and I

Except for an illustration of Japanese characters painted on two boats, this spare nautical story (published originally in Japan) could take place on virtually any seacoast. Illustrated with the majestic realism and natural familiarity often associated with Ted Rand's work, the book tells a universal tale from a child's viewpoint. The plot is the essence of simplicity: a boy waves good-bye in the morning to his fisherman father and welcomes him back in the evening. The text displays the affectionate tone of an adoring child: ``Father loves the sea, and I love him.'' Readers will be struck by the sea's vastness--appropriate to the youngster's vantage point--emphasized by the painterly, horizontal spreads. The many moods of waters and coast are thrillingly presented, from a purple sky at daybreak to waves beating furiously on the shore to a magnificent, orange-clouded sunset, the sun itself a massive orb of white light. Nakawatari's impressive American debut evokes a remarkably strong sense of mood and place. Ages 5-up. (Oct.)