Alba and the Ocean Cleanup

"The simple story and bright pictures underscore the importance of taking care of our ocean."—Kirkus Reviews

Alba the fish has spent her entire life collecting precious objects that drift down to the ocean floor. Each year on her birthday, she gathers one more precious item, from delicate shells to brightly colored coral. As time goes by, Alba notices her collection is losing its sparkle. What’s more, there is trash everywhere! When, on her birthday hunt, something unthinkable happens, it seems like the plastic may have changed her ocean home forever. Is it too late? Alba and the Ocean Cleanup is a beautifully illustrated picture book about what we can do to save this important ecosystem.When a reef fish becomes stuck in a plastic bottle, a caring human child not only rescues her, but also organizes an ocean cleanup...the simple story and bright pictures underscore the importance of taking care of our ocean.
—Kirkus Reviews

Appealing hopefulness infuses the implausible tale of Alba, an orange fish who lives in a reef where “shimmering fish darted and dived, and strange creatures scuttled into hidden places.”...Closing spreads identify animals in the reef and ways to take care of the ocean.
—Publishers WeeklyLara Hawthorne is a graduate of Falmouth University in England. She is the author-illustrator of The Night Flower: The Blooming of the Saguaro Cactus and Ratty’s Big Adventure, and the illustrator of the Hidden Habitats series as well as The King of Christmas by Carol Ann Duffy. Inspired by nature, myths, and legends, she creates wonderful small worlds with her distinct watercolor style. She lives in the UK.