Can You Hear the Sea? - Tapa dura

Sarah's grandfather gives her a seashell and promises that if she listens carefully, she will hear the sea inside. But Sarah is distracted by the bustling noise of her island community. Laundry flip-flaps in the wind, people haggle in the market, and plantains sizzle on the stove. Only when Grandpa helps her to really listen is the magic inside the shell unlocked. The special relationship between a child and her grandparents fills these pages with energy and imagination, while Ken Wilson-Max's colorful and energetic illustrations evoke all the sights and sounds of a West African village.

Judy Cumberbatch was brought up in Ghana. After a recent visit to that country, she was inspired to write this story. She lives in London, where she works as a translator and researcher.

Ken Wilson-Max is an award-winning illustrator and the creator of several picture books, including The Big Yellow Taxi, Tickle-Tickle, and Splash, Joshua, Splash! Born and raised in Zimbabwe, he now lives in London.