While beautifully illustrated, this book is in desparate need of a thorough proofing check. The story is neat, and imaginative, but work still needs to be done.

I loved the author’s imagination. However, I struggled with where I would shelve this book in my library. Is it supposed to be a beginner’s chapter book or a picture book? It has an overwhelming amount of words on the page for a picture book, but that’s what I assumed it was going into reading it. Details aside, it was quite creative.

I hate to be so negative about a book but this is badly in need of an editor. It's full of grammatical errors (an insistence of having multiple characters speaking within paragraphs, missing punctuation etc), a lack of fact checking (distance between countries, errors with the sun still shining in one country that should have been in nighttime based on time of year and the time in the UK - admittedly though that the later was potentially part of a dream), 'real' things that stretched credibility (a mother allowing her four year old to just wander off on the beach repeatedly, and even constant sleepovers with friends for four year olds are pushing it in my experience and that of every other parent I know), and even if you can blame some things on a possible dream sequence (only one chapter, as the rest is clearly presented as having actually happened) they still shouldn't make you shake your head in disbelief (a lobster just randomly turns into a man - it's utterly bizarre).

I've also discovered the strangest and least-appropriate chapter heading I've ever seen, that of the second chapter and of which I shan't spoil as it gives away a plot point of sorts, but actually refers to just two sentences in said chapter.

I would also love the full explanation of how the fish's deep sea diving suits work to help them breathe at lower depths, because though I can imagine one or two raised eyebrows at the initial idea of it, I genuinely want to know if there's an accurate scientific/technological basis behind it.

My problems with this book are really twofold: it needs an editor to take out all the obvious errors with grammar and plot, and it needs to do accurate checking of facts e.g. distances from Cornwall to Portugal, whether the sun would still be out in Bridgetown, Barbados when the story says it is (dram sequence or not). There's a clear joy from the author within the story, it's just not done well mainly because of the above. The dialogue as a whole just doesn't feel natural, with unrealistic plot points that take liberties with the phrase 'willing suspension of disbelief', and I couldn't imagine that in its current state I would recommend that anyone read it, which is something I hate to admit.

I've left a positive to finish on, because the illustrations are lovely; they're colourful and fun and they match the mood that I think the author is trying to create perfectly. They're not a huge enhancement of the text, but as accompanying visuals they're very good.