The Search for Carmella

Dr Rose is a marine biologist and explorer, and has always been fascinated by what might be found in the deepest parts of the ocean.

Since she was little, she has been gripped by legends of a huge and mysterious beast that lives in the deepest part of the ocean: the legends call it Carmella. 

Taking a submersible craft down into the deep ocean, Dr Rose and her pilot Anne sink down into the darkness. They find a variety of strange, glowing creatures in the depths, but will they find the legendary Carmella? 

Chloe Savage’s utterly beautiful picture book about the search for a mysterious oceanic leviathan combines a fascination with science and a magical illustrative style.

The huge, cerise-pink Carmella floats across the pages of this lovely picture book as silently as she might in the deep ocean, with some absolutely stunning spreads that are sure to wow young readers. As well as that, the spreads depicting Dr Rose’s science ship and the submersible are full of interesting detail.

This is a thought-provoking and yet poetic story about the search for a legend, and the point at which mystery and science intersect. Just lovely.