Book Review of Felix and the Magic Sea
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The Children’s Book Review
Felix and the Magic Sea
Written by Michelle Luise Walters
Illustrated by Fabiana Attanasio
Ages: 4-6 | 36 Pages
Publisher: IngramSpark (2025) | ISBN: 979-8-9924507-3-6
What to Expect: Family, ocean life, change and growing up, mother/son love.
In this beautiful story about family, change, growing up, and love, readers will explore the tension between love for the safety and comfort of home and the pull to venture out and explore the exciting (and sometimes dangerous) world beyond it.
Felix loves playing on the seashore where he lives with his mother. His mother loves him very much, and always warns him to be careful near the sea—there are sharks in the water, and he might get swept away. Then, one day, Felix does get swept into the sea—and to his mother’s sorrow, he is turned into a shark himself! Although Felix lives in the ocean now, he still returns to the shore every morning, braving the presence of a much larger shark to be near his mother and comfort her. Over the years, Felix gets bigger, and he explores more widely—and he still loves playing in the ocean. Soon his mother comes to realize—she hasn’t lost a son to the ocean; the ocean has given her an amazing new family!
Felix is loving and obedient, but he is also curious, brave, and adaptable. The real learning in this story is not his but his mother’s, as she learns to let her son swim free and become his own man, and to see beauty where she previously saw only danger. The story is delivered through simple lines of prose, with plenty of dialogue that invites readers inside each character’s learning journey.
Fabiana Attanasio’s digital artwork uses airbrushed shading and gentle linework that evokes the warm qualities of hand-painted illustrations, with a palette of muted seaside colors that blur the line between ocean and land.
Perfect for readers who need reassurance about the future, Felix and the Magic Sea is a lovely story that rewards shared reading and deep discussion.
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About the Author
Michelle Luise Walters is an award-winning author of magical children’s books, including Santa Skips Christmas!?! In her second book, Felix and the Magic Sea, she explores the bonds we share and the love that endures through time and change. It is a lyrical story of love, growth, and transformation and is available in Spanish as well. Through its pages, Michelle Luise invites readers to discover the beauty of change and the depth of a parent’s love. Michelle Luise is currently working on her third book, Moon Walks, with Bushel and Peck Books. When she’s not writing, Michelle Luise finds inspiration in the rhythms of the ocean, the quiet of nature, and time spent with her children. She hopes her stories offer comfort, reflection, and a sense of wonder that stays long after the last page is turned.
For more information, visit www.michelleluise.com.
About the Illustrator
Fabiana Attanasio is an illustrator living by the shores of Lake Bracciano. Nature, animals, and the small wonders of everyday life are a constant source of inspiration for her work. After studying at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics, she found her place in children’s publishing. Over time, she’s explored different areas of the field, working on school books, activity books, murals for children’s rooms, and fairy tale books, while also specializing in coloring books for both children and adults.
For more information, visit www.fabianaattanasio.com.
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