Town is by the Sea

While a young boy enjoys a summer’s day, his thoughts constantly return to his father, who is digging for coal deep under the sea.

THE WINNER OF THE 2017 KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL Stunning illustrations by Sydney Smith, the award-winning illustrator of Footpath Flowers, show the striking contrast between a sparkling seaside day and the darkness underground where the miners dig. This beautifully understated and haunting story brings a piece of mining history to life. The ever-present ocean and inevitable pattern of life in a mining town will enthral children and move adult readers, as a young boy wakes up to the sound of the sea, visits his grandfather’s grave after lunch and comes home to a cosy dinner with his family, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep down under the sea.