An exquisitely illustrated memoir and meditation on the sea from New York Times bestselling author Sophie Blackall, creator of Things to Look Forward To and Hello Lighthouse.

“The Sea is a voyage into the past, into history and science, into loss and love, into the world that lies beneath the water and the world that soars above it. This is a journey both beautiful and profound. Sophie Blackall is a genius.” —Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author 

“A memoir, a love story, a cabinet of curiosities yielding delicious surprises on every page. I loved this genre-bending book from the first page to the last.” —Geraldine Brooks, New York Times bestselling author 

In this deeply personal and entirely original memoir, Sophie Blackall explores the ocean and the stories it holds through memory, natural observation, history, and art. A 24-day voyage becomes a current carrying her between the shipboard romance of her parents and reflections on her own life and loves, revealing the sea as a source of wonder, longing, and connection.

Told across 24 daily chapters that move between past and present, this illustrated memoir encompasses shipwrecks and sturgeons, cyanometers and poetry, science and family history. More than 100 full-color images make The Sea both an intimate narrative and an absorbing work of art from one of today's most talented creators.

• FROM TWO-TIME CALDECOTT MEDALIST SOPHIE BLACKALL: The acclaimed author and illustrator brings her singular voice and visual imagination to her most personal work yet.
• A MEMOIR IN MOTION: Over the course of a 24-day ocean voyage, Blackall follows the currents of memory—from her parents' shipboard romance to the experiences and relationships that have shaped her own life.
• LOVE LETTER TO THE OCEAN: Blackall captures the extraordinary beauty of the sea and the journeys it inspires.  
• A BOOK TO LINGER OVER: Featuring more than 100 full-color illustrations, this richly designed volume is a visual masterpiece.
• DISTINCTIVE GIFT FOR CURIOUS READERS: An inspired choice for ocean lovers, travelers, artists, and anyone drawn to beautifully illustrated memoirs. Pair with Sophie Blackall's 500-piece Under the Sea Puzzle to extend the ocean theme.