Ruffen: The Sea Serpent Who Couldn't Swim.

Ruffen: The Sea Serpent Who Couldn't Swim

Tor Age Bringsvaerd, author

Thore Hansen, illustrator

MacKenzie Smiles

PMB 248, 455 Sam Ridley Parkway West, Smyrna, TN 37167

9780979034794, $16.95 www.mackenziesmiles.com

Ruffen: The Sea Serpent Who Couldn't Swim is a charming children's picturebook about a mythical world very close to our own. Ruffen is a small sea serpent who calls a mysterious, invisible island home, along with his many brethren. At first, Ruffen can't swim, but an octopus friend helps him to learn this valuable skill--which he later uses to save lives aboard a ship, and even travel to America! The distinctive, cartoony black-and-white illustrations with splashes of color to highlight them make this enjoyable children's book stand out. The reading comprehension level of Ruffen: The Sea Serpent Who Couldn't Swim is high enough to be appropriate for young people who are just about ready to tackle chapter books. Highly recommended, especially for coaxing children who are reluctant to learn the potentially lifesaving skill of swimming.