Song of the Sea: The Graphic Novel

by Tomm Moore (Created by), Samuel Sattin (Adapted by)

Overview

A lush graphic novel about family adrift and the magical adventure that brings them together. Based on the award-winning film, this gorgeous adaptation includes a bonus story from the film's creator.

Many years after the disappearance of their mother, siblings Ben and Saoirse are still drowning in grief, as is their lighthouse-keeper father. Ben blames his little sister for the loss of their mother, and despite being six years old, Saoirse has yet to speak. When the kids discover that Saoirse is a selkie and the magical world that their mother told stories about is real, they dive into an adventure to keep the spirit world from disappearing forever. Based on the award-winning film Song of the Sea, this graphic novel is a wonder of magical storytelling and visual splendor that is destined to become a classic.
 
Includes an 18-page bonus story written and illustrated by film creator Tomm Moore and a Gaelic glossary.

Song of the Sea (along with Wolfwalkers and The Secret of Kells) is part of Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy which celebrates magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316438810
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/07/2023
Series:	Cartoon Saloon's Irish Folklore
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	661,822
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Samuel Sattin is an author and coffee addict. He penned the graphic novel adaptions of Cartoon Saloon’s Academy Award–nominated Irish folklore film trilogy. He is also the author of Unico: Awakening, the first book in an upcoming manga series that reimagines Osamu Tezuka’s classic character. Samuel’s past work includes Bezkamp and The Silent End. He graduated with an MFA in Comics from California College of the Arts and a creative writing MFA from Mills College. 

Editorial Reviews

"The rich palette...plus design elements hinting of swirls of Celtic knots and spirals, contribute to the sense of an enchanted countryside...A bit of Celtic charm."—Kirkus

"A lovely adaptation of the 2014 fantasy movie of the same name, this graphic novel expertly recaptures the magic of the Irish folktale...A must-have addition to library collections."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

03/01/2023

Gr 3–7—A lovely adaptation of the 2014 fantasy movie of the same name, this graphic novel expertly recaptures the magic of the Irish folktale. Ten-year-old Ben, his six-year-old sister Saoirse (who does not speak), and their father are still grieving the loss of the children's mother, who disappeared the night Saoirse was born. When their grandmother takes them away to the city to raise them, they escape and find out that Saoirse is a selkie who will wither away unless led back to her seal coat and the ocean. This lyrical story about love and family ties is delightful. Illustrated to replicate the hand-drawn movie, the pages of lush blue and green colors transport readers to the Irish seaside, while the dull grays show characters' dissatisfaction with being in the city. The fantastical creatures the children meet as they journey back home are sure to enchant. VERDICT A winning graphic novel for a wide range of readers; an added highlight is a bonus 18-page story written and illustrated by Moore. A must-have addition to library collections.—Nancy McKay

School Library Journal

2022-12-14
Ben and his silent younger sister, Saoirse, find themselves on an extraordinary journey.

Stills and some added bits of art reproduce the plot of Moore’s lovely, hand-drawn 2014 animated film, adding an introductory backstory about the children’s selkie mother. Six-year-old Saoirse doesn’t speak, but she can produce a tune from the spiral seashell given to Ben by their mother, calling forth magical lights. As the siblings trek back from the city to their lighthouse home, they must defend themselves against Macha, the Owl Witch, and recover their mother’s selkie coat in order to save themselves, their family, and the faeries. Unattributed lines from Yeats’ “The Stolen Child” set the mood of magic and danger at the intersection of human and faerie. The rich palette in browns, blues, and greens, plus design elements hinting of swirls of Celtic knots and spirals, contributes to the sense of an enchanted countryside. The light-skinned children are sweetly drawn, with round faces, rosy cheeks, and large eyes. Less might have been more here: The narrative, carried by action and dialogue from the original script, has a sense of busyness that can overwhelm the awe and humor of the plot. Even so, the echoes of ancient tales reenacted by contemporary children in a family struggling with loss and reconciliation offer something for thoughtful adventurers. A short tale about a couple who adopt a seal child is appended as a bonus.

A bit of Celtic charm. (glossary) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews