Over or under? by Pip Harry. Illus. by Hilary Jean Tapper

The beach for many Australians is a place of continuous holiday and the rules about using it wisely are outlined in this seemingly simple tale of dad teaching his daughter to watch each wave and decide whether to swim over it or under it. Many pages are filled with images of the ocean, from the small ripples as they step in, to the deeper parts where she must stand on the ocean floor and learn to dive beneath the waves, to the larger wave which dumps her, causing a mouth load of sea water to startle her. 

I love the illustrations giving the feeling that the reader is only a little way away in the ocean, watching Maisie learn to judge each wave and decide how to approach it.

And the text is equally informative, telling the readers how to approach the sea as they venture further away from the shore. Dad is there to help and guide Maisie to an understanding of the strength of the waves coming in. By judging which are the ones to jump over and which to dive under, Maisie is practising water safety, and this is naturally passed on to the readers, giving the adult a chance to reiterate the rules, and discuss beach safety.

Dad is loving, teaching his daughter the basic rules of swimming in the ocean, making sure she is comfortable with the rules of under and over, showing her how to predict the size of the wave coming towards her. When she falters, he is there to rescue her, and happy to let her to keep away from the water for a little while, until it comes to the last day of tier holiday, encouraging her to try again. 

Trying again sees her using the skills she has learnt, and she succeeds. 

The illustrations take all readers to the beach, reminding them of time they have spent at the beach and revising rules they have learnt in using the beach. I just love the illustrations, giving the reader the impression that they are there with Maisie, the water lapping over her body. 

Themes: Beach, Water safety, Swimming lessons, Humour, Family.

Fran Knight