Bloom

Reviews

Julia Seal's Bloom will make a bright and colourful addition to the climate literature classroom shelf. Luna the jellyfish reminisces about a time 'when there was a perfect rhythm to the waves and a perfect balance to the ocean' but 'things were changing' and one day she returns to the reef to visit her colourful friends only to be met with grey plants, plastic bottles and toothbrushes. After an encounter with her friend the hermit crab who explains that 'The Ocean is in trouble' Luna gathers together the jellyfish and begins a campaign, including weighing down fishing nets and blocking power stations to ensure humans begin to take note. The text is clearly aware of its young readers and although it covers the dangers of climate change it is cautious not to add to readers' anxiety. My eyebrows raised a little at the opening few pages which talked of how all the animals on the reef were 'friends', including an image of a shark who 'liked to play chase' as I quickly looked up food chains, but it was clear that the text's focus was on the disruption of the natural balance caused by humans and what might be done to remedy this. Bloom reminds readers about the power of teamwork and numbers when it comes to activism observing that 'One little jellyfish can't do much but a huge BLOOM of jellyfish can!' and importantly it offers a sense of hope that we can come together to make a difference. The final information sign, pictured on a shoreline full of people busily engaged in a beach clean, gives food for thought and indeed classroom discussion, as it explains that jelly fish 'thrive in rising sea temperatures' and are 'known as an indicator species' warning us that 'something is out of balance'. This is a book that offers young readers the opportunity to discuss the effects of climate change in an empathetic way, research the science behind it in relation to the warming of the oceans, and to consider what we can do to help. Luna is a lively jellyfish with a zest for life. She likes playing with her friends, going off to explore her watery world, telling stories on her return. She's also observant. She notices the changes that are happening around her which, at first, confuse and then greatly trouble her. Perhaps, when she finds why and where her friends have gone, she'll understand why the ocean is changing so. She finds Hermit who tells her that 'the waters are warming and the waves are carrying things that don't belong here'. The problem is too big for a little one to solve, but for a bloom... This book has a potent message: if together we care for the environment, beauty and balance will be restored. Read it to a key stage 1 class any time, but use it, too, when looking at humanity's impact on the natural world. Julia Seal's writing is uncomplicated, and her illustrations are gorgeous. She even manages to inject some humour and emotion into the subject of climate change and ocean degradation. Jane Rew Expand reviews