Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas

Long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox relates the true story of Elizabeth, an elephant seal who lived in Christchurch, New Zealand, in this wonderful picture-book. Swimming in the sweet water of the Avon River, and sunning herself on a nearby road, our phocine heroine, dubbed "Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas" by the people of Christchurch because of her regal mien, knew she belonged in the city. The humans, on the other hand, were not as sure, and tried multiple times to relocate her to wilder locales. To their surprise, and eventual delight, Elizabeth always made her way home again, until the humans (always a little slow) finally accepted her presence, and adjusted their behavior accordingly...

Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas is an absolute show more delight! I found myself rooting for the eponymous Elizabeth, as she struggles just to remain in the place she has chosen as a home, and think the choice to have Michael - one of the children who originally told Lynne Cox the story - as a focal point was a good storytelling decision, as it highlights the positive impact this elephant seal had on the humans around her. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations by Caldecott medalist Brian Floca are every bit as engaging as the text, capturing the poignancy of Elizabeth's many journeys. I particularly liked the moonlit scene in which she arrives home for the last time. I appreciated the informative afterword, which included a photograph of the real Elizabeth, although I would have liked more information about her, rather than about elephant seals in general. Still, despite that quibble, this is an excellent book, one I wholeheartedly recommend to all young animal lovers, as well as to all Brian Floca fans. show less

Lynne Cox, the American record-setting long-distance swimmer, must have identified with the story of Elizabeth, an actual elephant seal who swam into the Avon River in Christchurch, New Zealand in the late 1970’s and decided to stay. The public loved her, and when she died of a viral infection in 1985 it was front page news.

Aided by Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Brian Floca's watercolor-and-ink illustrations, Cox tells the story of Elizabeth through the voice of a small boy named Michael, who watched for the seal on his way to and from school.

Elizabeth loved to bask in the sun on the riverbank, and even once stretched out across the two-lane road by the river. She was hit by a car, but the car received more damage than the show more twelve-hundred-pound seal.

Nevertheless, residents worried about her safety, and decided to tow Elizabeth past the river and into the ocean. She was set free on a beach inhabited by a large group of elephant seals. Before long, however, she made her way back to her favorite sunbathing spot by the Avon.

The boat crew towed Elizabeth off again twice more, each time even farther away, but each time, Elizabeth came back, after what seemed like a long time:

"Michael watched the water,
and he wished upon the stars.
And then one warm summer morning, Elizabeth was back.

There in the water beneath the bridge was the
beautiful elephant seal who weighed as much as
fifteen Labrador retrievers.

‘Welcome home, Elizabeth!, Michael shouted.”

The people of Christchurch gave up their efforts to repatriate Elizabeth, and put up a sign on the street to protect her: “Slow. Elephant Seal Crossing.”

The book does not end with Elizabeth’s death (she died of a viral infection in 1985) but rather ends with the speculations of the townspeople about how and why Elizabeth kept managing to come back to them.

An afterword supplies more facts about elephant seals (but not about Elizabeth herself).

Floca's lovely drawings colored in a warm palate of greens, blues, and yellows show a wide spectrum of emotions in both people and animals, and so successfully convey the beauty of the riverfront and surrounding park that one can well imagine its appeal.

Evaluation: This is a charming story that will delight readers of all ages. show less

I am going to say, right up front, that I am not a fan of Brian Floca. I did like Locomotive, but it was in spite of the art, not because of it. I realize I am in a tiny, tiny minority here, and I can objectively recognize his artistic merit, but I, personally, don't find his style of watercolors attractive and the books he works on tend to fall in that amorphous area of picture books for older elementary readers, which are almost impossible to circulate at my library.

All that being said, I actually rather liked this book. This is the true story of an elephant seal who decided that she preferred living in the freshwater Avon River in Christchurch, New Zealand, instead of the ocean. Attempts made to relocate her were repeatedly show more unsuccessfully as she returned even after being relocated hundreds of miles away and taking months to swim back. After the last time she returned, the city gave in and put up signs for an elephant seal crossing. A final note gives additional facts and information about elephant seals and includes a photo of the actual Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas. Cox's text is simple and informative, but also has a poetic warmth and a feeling of triumph as Elizabeth stubbornly refuses to leave the place she considers home.

I don't know exactly why I liked these pictures so much more than Floca's other illustrations. Something about the soft greens and blues and the feeling of peace and contentment that Elizabeth radiates just really grabbed me. The final full-page spread of Elizabeth, gliding up the river in the moonlight, the weeping willows gracefully draping over the banks of the river, is perfect.

Verdict: This is still pretty long for a picture book and probably won't circulate as much as the typical picture books I purchase, but if you have the budget and audience I definitely recommend it. I'm putting it on my wishlist in hopes that I'll have the budget for it later on, as I think the animal aspect will really draw in kids, even those who would normally be reluctant to pick up a picture book or too wiggly for a book of this length.

ISBN: 9780375858888; Published 2014 by Schwartz & Wade; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to my library's wishlist show less

Elizabeth, Queens of the Seas is about an elephant seal who makes her home on the banks of a river in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is unusual since seals usually live in the ocean. Michael, a boy in the town, forms a bond with the seal since he calls to her to and from his way to school every day. Elizabeth in return snorts at Michael as if she is telling him hello. Elizabeth gets herself in trouble one day and she gets relocated to an environment more suitable for seals, but finds her way back on three separate occasions. This books is really cute and I think children would enjoy both the story and the pretty watercolor illustrations.

This charms. I wish there was more supplemental material, not just the note re' inspiration in the front, the photo, and the generic elephant seal info. But I do like the way the story is told, and the art.

It's one of the few stories about an animal getting in the way of people, rather than the other way 'round. I can see why they tried so hard to find her a place outside of Christchurch, on the sea with her own kind. But after she persisted, they figured out how to accommodate her, so thank you for setting us a good example, you Kiwis!

Elizabeth is an elephant seal who chooses to make her home in the middle of a city (Christchurch, New Zealand) instead of at sea with her own kind. This lyrical, read aloud, true story will delight small children as Elizabeth peeks out at them in each of the sweet pen and watercolor illustrations. Older children will enjoy hearing how Elizabeth returns to her beloved city despite being relocated far away three times. This is legendary long distance swimmer Lynne Cox's first children's book. The author includes a factual page about southern elephant seals along with two related websites. This story would pair well with Andre: the Famous Harbor Seal, which recounts the story of a seal who made his home in Rockport, Maine for almost 25 years.

Genre or Type of Picture book: Recommended for: Nonfiction

In Lynne Cox's, Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas, there lives an unusual seal. This seal is unusual because she lives far away from her natural habitat, and instead among the hustle and bustle of Christchurch, New Zealand. The book, answers, why she was named, Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas, and it is worth reading.

Although the book is classified as an easy reader, the plot and the themes can really translate and be applied to a broader age range. The watercolor illustrations, beautifully depict the running elements of the plot, and seem to enhance the gender of Elizabeth. The cover of the book, emulates, the contentment you feel throughout the book. The illustrations, coupled with show more the text, tell more of the story than just simply reading off the page. Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas, is a great story for children and adults, not only because the story is engaging, but it also is a story that developed from truth. show less