The Seal Children
What’s inside...
When a fisherman called Huw falls in love with a selkie — half-woman, half-seal — she gives him her sealskin as a sign of her love. She bears him two children, Ffion and Morlo, before returning to her own people. A few years later a stranger comes to the village, telling of a land far away, and Ffion and Morlo remember their mother's stories of the glittering cities underwater. Will they be able to find those places, and their mother? This lovely, lyrical story of love and freedom was inspired by Welsh myth and a real deserted village in west Wales.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
6-9
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think it would be like to live both on land and in the sea, like the seal children?
How do you think the mother felt when she had to leave her children behind?
Why is the sea important to the story? What does it symbolize?
What would you do if you were in the children's shoes, living in two worlds?
How do the themes of love and belonging show up in the story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive reading, mimicking the sounds and emotions of the characters to draw your child into the story.
Ask your child to predict what might happen next at various points in the book to enhance their engagement.
Encourage your child to draw a scene from the book, focusing on how the land and sea are depicted differently.
After reading, relate themes from the book to your child’s own experiences of belonging and identity.
Discuss the importance of the environment and sea life, drawing parallels between the book’s setting and real-world locations.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Embracing Differences
Explanation: In 'The Seal Children', the seal-child's unique identity as both seal and human teaches acceptance and celebration of differences.
Real-World Application: Children learn to appreciate and embrace the diversity in their classmates and community members, recognizing that everyone has something special to offer.
Example Lesson: Resilience in Adversity
Explanation: The young seal-child faces challenges of identity and belonging but stays resilient throughout the story.
Real-World Application: This lesson can help children understand the importance of perseverance and resilience when facing personal challenges or setbacks.
Example Lesson: Importance of Family
Explanation: The story highlights the bond between the seal mother and her children, emphasizing the importance of family support and love.
Real-World Application: Children are encouraged to value and nurture the relationships with their family members, understanding the strength and comfort that these bonds provide.
Example Lesson: Respect for Nature
Explanation: The setting of the story near the sea and interactions with sea life underline a deep respect for nature and its creatures.
Real-World Application: This instills in children a sense of responsibility to care for their environment and promotes actions like recycling, conserving water, and protecting wildlife.
Example Lesson: Curiosity and Discovery
Explanation: The seal-child's journey between the human and seal worlds fosters a sense of curiosity and discovery.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to explore new experiences and learn from them, fostering a lifelong love for learning and discovery.