Interesting Words
You might not know some of the words in the story as they relate to boats and the sea. Have a look below if you need help.
boatyard – area of land where boats are built and stored, enclosed with a fence to keep the boats safe
coastguard – people who keep watch on the sea around the coast. They help people and ships that are in danger, and look out for criminals moving things in or out of the country
kayak – canoe with a light frame and a covering to keep the water out. It has a small opening in the top that you can sit in
paddle – a short pole that has a flat blade at one or both ends. It is used to move a small boat or canoe through the water
submarine - a ship that has a special hull that allows it to go under water for long periods of time
Kathryn White
Here are some fascinating and surprising facts about the author of this book.
Kathryn White lives in Wells which is the smallest city in Britain
She wrote her first children’s story when her own child was 1 year old
Her first story was never published but it gave her the interest and enthusiasm to write more
Kathryn says she writes little notes on pieces of paper about her story ideas as she goes about her daily life
She has written over 20 stories and poems now. She has even written some ghost stories!
Her stories usually have animals in as either the main character or a key character
Rescue Dogs
In this story the coastguard use a rescue dog to help save the children. But do they really use dogs?
YES – the coastguard in places like Canada and Italy use dogs to help them
Here are some interesting facts about the dogs:
they are Newfoundland dogs
they are very calm
they see it as a game rather than work
Even though the dogs enjoy their work, they have to train for 3 years before they can help the coastguard.
Once trained they:
jump from helicopters
jump from boats
rush into the sea from the shore
Painting Pictures
The author has used lots of creative language to paint pictures in the readers’ heads. Here are a few examples:
‘rolling waves’
‘angry sea’
‘my body was turning to ice’
‘crack of thunder’
‘the kayak bounced up over the waves’
‘the sea is pulling us’
‘the rain beat down’
‘wild water’
‘a wave of happiness washed over me’
When doing your own writing try to paint pictures in your readers’ heads with the language you use.
Next Steps
Why not write your own story about an animal that saves a human? Here are some people who might need saving to give you a starting point!
A rock climber who has fallen.
A person on a sinking boat.
Someone who is stuck on some rocks when the tide has come in.