by Jonne Schwartz
illustrated by Sydney Smith
 
WINNER CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2018
  
“From my house, I can see the sea. It goes like this- house, road, grassy cliff, sea. And town spreads out, this way and that.” The easy, crystal clear, voice of a child introduces us to their world and environment, from beneath the sea where his dad digs for coal to above the sea where Lupins rustle. As he goes about his day, playing in the rickety playground, shopping at the grocer’s for mum, visiting his grandad’s grave, his eyes are always pulled to the horizon, to the sparkling sea, to thoughts of his dad. Until, finally, finally, his dad returns home, safe and with plenty of hugs to go round. And, at the day's end, the boy sleeps and dreams of when his turn will come, as with his dad, as with his grandad: “I’m a miner’s son. In my town, that’s the way it goes”. 
  
Set in the 1950s and inspired by the lives lived in close-knit mining towns. The text pulls across the pages with the child’s lulling refrain of “It goes like this…” The illustrations are in perfect synch. Muted watercolours are splashed with bright gouache. The seascapes, above and below, bleed across entire double page spreads in contrast to the bright boxes which capture the land. “Eloquent, sensitive yet, entirely unsentimental and profound in impact: picture books don’t get much better than this one” Books for Keeps (May 2017). Agreed! Age 4-8, Paperback 48pp