Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

World-renowned swimmer and bestselling author Lynne Cox and Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Brian Floca team up to bring us this inspiring story of an elephant seal who knew exactly where she belonged.

Here is the incredible story of Elizabeth, a real-life elephant seal who made her home in the Avon River in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. When Elizabeth decides to stretch out across a two-lane road, the citizens worry she might get hurt or cause traffic accidents, so a group of volunteers tows her out to sea. But Elizabeth swims all the way back to Christchurch. The volunteers catch her again and againeach time towing her farther, even hundreds of miles awaybut, still, Elizabeth finds her way back home.

Includes back matter with information about elephant seals.

Reviews

Publishers Weekly starred review, February 24, 2014
The newly minted Caldecott winner may be best known for his more encyclopedic works, but he proves that whether the subject is trains or stubborn seals, hes a master storyteller."

Publishers Weekly starred review, February 24, 2014
Based on a true storythere is a photo of the real Elizabeth in the illuminating afterwordthis is superior addition to shelves featuring wild animal personalities.

School Library Journal starred review, May 2014
"Children are likely to request multiple readings of this compelling told and lovingly illustrated true story."

The Bulletin starred review, July/August 2014:
"The books sunny temperament, Southern setting, and focus on an animal who knows where she wants to be despite human intervention make it a neat inverted complement to Carnesis compelling and fact-based Little Dog Lost."

Author Bio

LYNNE COX is a legendary long-distance, open-water swimmer; the author of several books for adults, including South with the Sun, Grayson (a New York Times bestseller), and Swimming to Antarctica (a New York Times bestseller); and a contributor to the New Yorker. She has set records for swimming all around the world, and in 2000 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Lynne first learned of Elizabeth's story when she traveled to New Zealand to swim across three lakes near Mount Cook. This is her first children's book.

BRIAN FLOCA is the Caldecott Medalwinning author/illustrator of Locomotive, which was also a Sibert Honor Book. He has written and illustrated many award-winning books for children, including Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, a Sibert Honor Book and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book; Lightship, a Sibert Honor Book and a Booklist Top of the List; and The Racecar Alphabet, an ALA Notable Book and a Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice. He is also the illustrator of Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, a Sibert Honor Book and winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children.