Louie and Snippy Save the Sea Review

Written by Collette Dinnigan and illustrated by Grant Cowan

Recommended for ages 3-6 years

This book has been shortlisted in the New Illustrator’s category and sends a strong message about protecting our oceans and sea creatures. It is a beautifully illustrated picture book about a boy named Louie and his dog Snippy, and their dream of diving into the ocean and swimming with all the amazing sea creatures. The next thing they know they are immersed into the ocean, surrounded by a school of fish, and they are having an amazing time, as they knew they would, that is, until the sea animals of the ocean council all gather round to tell Louie and Snippy that the ocean is in trouble.

The animals point them in the direction of the Octopus, the lobsters, the crab convention and the seahorses so Louie and Snippy can understand the environmental threats that the ocean and all its sea creatures face.

Louie and Snippy learn that sadly the ocean is being polluted by humans throwing their rubbish into it, or onto the shores. All the plastic bottles, straws, and rubbish are a danger to the sea creatures, even polluting their food source.

Louie and Snippy decide to get their friends together and share with them what is happening to our oceans, and ask for their help to save it by picking up any rubbish and plastic on our shores, so it doesn’t end up in the ocean.

Grant Cowan has a degree in fine arts, majoring in painting, and how work has featured in many exhibitions. He is most well known for his unique hand painted fashion illustrations.

This is Grant’s first children’s picture book, and in order to illustrate for children, he chose to step outside his usual medium and method and illustrate using a medium that children would normally use, that is coloured pencils...how beautiful! It was also important to Grant that he illustrate without any harsh lines.

Colette Dinnigan is one of Australia’s most successful fashion designers, and a passionate environmentalist, in the past campaigning for sustainability and environmental issues. Her love of the ocean came from living on a yacht with her family for three years. This is her first children’s book.