Out in the Bay

In 'Out in the Bay' we view the bay, page by page throughout the phases of the day. Early morning is calm, tranquil and quiet, but as the day progresses we are introduced to all the different creatures that frequent the bay and their habitats, as well as the human activities taking place such as sailing and fishing. In the background, we see the clouds slowly building and as the day draws to a close the weather changes; the bay becomes fierce with energy, and most of the creatures and humans hide from the incoming storm.

The rhyming text is sometimes a little strained, but this doesn’t matter at all because of the quality of the illustrations, as with all Ned Barraud books. All the detail and atmosphere he is trying to convey is in the pictures - the text is secondary. Readers can be absorbed in finding all the creatures mentioned in the text on the double page illustrations, and in doing so, gain a real appreciation for the world around them. This would be a great read-aloud book for juniors.