Diane Jackson Hill (text) and Craig Smith (illustrator), Saving Seal: The Plastic Predicament, Museums Victoria, October 2021, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781921833540
Saving Seal: the Plastic Predicament is a beautiful and heart-rending picture book that tells the story of Lizzie and Grandpa who live in a small coastal town in Australia. When exploring the bay in Grandpa’s boat, Lizzie discovers a seal entangled in plastic rubbish. What follows is a beautifully told and illustrated story demonstrating how small actions and interventions can make a big impact to transform a community and its environment.
Craig Smith’s colourful illustrations create a stunning sense of the frothy blueness of the coast and sea, the delightful playfulness of seals and the interactions of a coastal town. As the story sensitively explains the sad and frightening situation of a seal entangled in plastic bags, the muted colour for these scenes convey emotion, without being distressing to young readers.
Saving Seal: the Plastic Predicament is a CBCA Book of the Year Notable for the Eve Pownall Award in 2022. This award is for books that have the prime intention of documenting factual material with consideration given to imaginative presentation, interpretation, and variation of style. A one-page summary of ‘The Problem with Plastic’ explains the issues explored in the story.
As a book for younger readers, Diane Jackson Hill and Craig Smith have created a beautiful example of the power of small steps. Through individual and collective action and gathering data through research Lizzie, Grandpa and their community find a way to save seals beyond their local coastal community.
Reviewed by Angela Brown