Linger by the sea

Title	Linger by the sea
Publication Type	Book
Year of Publication	1979
Authors	Itani, Frances, and Molly Lamb Bobak
Number of Pages	32
Publisher	Brunswick Press
City	Fredericton, N.B
Descriptors	Atlantic Canada; Families; Illustrated; Picture Book; Sea Stories; Seashore; Swimming; Tides
Abstract	This picture book combines the blue watercolours of Fredericton illustrator Molly Bobak with the story of a family that spends their summer living by the sea. The book describes the sounds of the sea, high and low tides, the setting sun, the various seashells found on the shore, and the movement of the waves. The author, Frances Itani, lives in New Brunswick.
Jurisdiction	Jurisdiction: New Brunswick

Overview:

The cover of Frances Itani's Linger by the Sea is a full colour reproduction of Bobak's watercolour "Beach." Itani's text details a family's day at the beach, and Bobak's watercolour illustrations appear as full page landscapes in blue, monochromatic washes and as sketches of human figures in blue lines and washes.

Reviews, Awards and Further Information

Themes:

Family; Bonding; Nature; Public Space; Watercolour; Impressionism; Movement

Analysis:

In Linger by the Sea, Bobak depicts parents and children engaged in various beach activities: digging in the sand, discovering starfish, running, and dancing. Bobak achieves a strong sense of lively movement in each figure as the various tints and shades of blue bleed beyond the basic structures of the underdrawing sketches. In her monochromatic landscapes, the darkest shades of blue are reserved for the human shapes of family members who appear as the focal point of each watercolour. While the focus remains on the family, these blue washes evoke a vivid sense of unity between the human, the natural world, and the beach as public space since the sky, horizon, sea, beach, and human share the same hues. These impressionistic watercolours capture energetic movement and fleeting, yet memorable, family moments.