The Sea Egg is a beautiful, sensitively-written fantasy for children and adults alike

It was just an ordinary seaside vacation for Toby, Joe and their parents, until the day the lobster man found something unusual in his lobster trap—a green, white and black stone the size and shape of a turkey's egg. The boys knew at first sight that it was a sea egg, and that it would certainly hatch into something amazing—a storm, an ogre, a seahorse, a genie, or perhaps something even more strange and wonderful. They also knew it was what they wanted most in the world.

How Toby and Joe got the egg, what hatched out of it and what happened next is the tale of The Sea Egg, a story for children and adults by L.M. Boston. Best known for writing the Green Knowe series of books, Mrs. Boston here creates a detailed ocean fantasy as seen through the eyes of two brothers "on holiday" somewhere on the Cornish coast. She has a marvelous way with words, creating a strong sense of place, and verbally painting the cove, the rock pool in which the boys play, the hollow island, the seals, the boys' mysterious friend, and all the shifting colors and moods of the sea. Remembering this book, long after reading it, is like a recalled memory of a magical summer vacation you never had.

The Sea Egg has a remarkably literary tone for a children's story, with passing references to Shakespeare, Keats and the Bible; it also makes reference to the old pre-1970s British monetary system (my edition has a short explanation for American readers). I would probably place it at a reading level of fifth grade to middle school, depending on the maturity of the reader. Slightly younger children might enjoy having it read to them, with short breaks to explain what certain words and phrases mean.

At just over 100 pages, this is a short book, too small to split into chapters, but a little too long to read aloud in one sitting. Perhaps this in-between length of the story is what has kept The Sea Egg from wider reprinting, because it's an unforgettable tale. Your best bet these days is to find it at auction sites, half.com, or used bookstores. Read it if you love the ocean and its legendary creatures, or if summer vacation just can't come quickly enough for you.

All material displayed on this website is © 2001-2010 by S. B. Houghton, writing under the alias "The Pirate King." All rights reserved.
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