Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you a lovely book by none other than the world renowned author Judith Kerr.
What do you do if you find an abandoned seal pup on a rock in the middle of the sea? Well, take it home with you to your flat, of course.
At least that’s what Mr Albert Cleghorn thought, though perhaps he hadn’t considered all the complications…
This is the story of what then happened to Mr Cleghorn and Charlie the seal in their determination to find a home for Charlie and, incidentally, happiness for them both.
Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, Mister Cleghorn’s Seal is a classic in the making from the inimitable Judith Kerr. -- Harper 360
It's been 37 years, but Judith Kerr has written a new book titled MISTER CLEGHORN'S SEAL. This is her first chapter book aimed at early-middle grade readers, and I thought it was absolutely delightful. Needless to say, MISTER CLEGHORN'S SEAL is one of those books for readers of all ages.
In MISTER CLEGHORN'S SEAL, a man on vacation discovers an abandoned seal pup in the middle of the sea. Believe it or not, he names him Charlie and brings him home to live with him in his flat -- this turns out to be quite the adventure. The seal lives in the bathtub and on the balcony, but as he grows, Mister Cleghorn learns that his city apartment is far from ideal for bringing up Charlie.
Mister Cleghorn, with the help of his friend Miss Craig, set out to find a home for Charlie. In the process, Charlie and Mister Cleghorn end up finding new homes and happiness!
I adored MISTER CLEGHORN'S SEAL! It's a precious story about friendship, love, and happiness. It is both charming and touching, and I think kids will love this unlikely story about a man and a seal. In addition, the black and white illustrations by Ms. Kerr are beautiful and the perfect complement to the story.
I found it very interesting to learn that MISTER CLEGHORN'S SEAL was actually based on Ms. Kerr's own father who rescued a seal over 100 years ago. The story didn't have a happy ending, unlike this one, but it did serve as inspiration for Ms. Kerr's book. Check out this article from Publishers Weekly for additional information on the book and the background story.
MISTER CLEGHORN'S SEAL was definitely worth a 37 year wait. It's a wonderful book for early middle grade readers as well as kids who enjoy a fun read-along story. Highly recommended!
Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.
If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!
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4 comments:
Interesting! How wild that it was based on something true. It sounds cute.
This sounds so sweet and I love that it was inspired by a true story.
This sounds like it would make a great classroom read-a-loud. I'll be sure to pass it on to my teacher friends.
I've seen this book bouncing around a couple other blogs, too, and have it rattling around in the back of my mind in case I see it at the bookstore the next time I visit. I love the storyline, and the fact that it's based on a true story, too. (I'm glad this one gets a happy ending, though!)
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