PEARL OF THE SEA

ISBN 9781946395740 | paperback | $19.95 | publication date Jan 2023

Order Pearl of the Sea

From the award-winning team behind Khumba and Zambezia

Since her mother left, Pearl has spent more and more time in the ocean, fishing to help her father pay the bills. But when she gets mixed up with a group of illegal abalone poachers and starts diving near a restricted wreck, Pearl meets an ancient sea monster named Otto—who isn’t quite as monstrous as she thought. And when Otto’s enemies come back to finish what they started, Pearl is the only one who can save him, but only if she has the courage to let go of her past and open up to others—including the girl from class she’s got a crush on. 

With her one-eyed pup sidekick and a whole lot of nerve, Pearl may just be able to save Otto and finally tell the truth to her father… and, more importantly, to herself. With vibrant full-color illustrations, Pearl of the Sea is a South African adventure story exploring how we are both bound to and freed by nature, seen through the eyes of a tough teen-aged heroine determined to live life by her own rules. 

Pearl of the Sea discussion guide (PDF)

Praise for Pearl of the Sea

“Silverston, Samuel, and Delle Donne are undoubtedly master storytellers, while Samuel’s intricate artistry brings magic to every page.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Full-color illustrations by Samuel depict ethereal ocean depths in deep navy and electric blue hues. Pearl’s struggles with loneliness and feelings of being an outsider are rendered via Silverston and Delle Donne’s empathetic and humorous dialogue, making for a winning story of friendship, nature, and trust.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] heartwarming, adventurous sea tale. […] Stunning, vibrant illustrations with deep hues of color bring Pearl’s sea adventure to life. A fast-paced graphic novel about making friends in unlikely places and opening up your heart after experiencing grief.” —School Library Journal

“A heartfelt tale. The detailed illustrations do the heavy lifting in many of the wordless panels as the vibrant colors and dynamic linework bring Pearl’s beloved ocean to life. This steady coming-of-age journey tackles the complexities of poaching while showcasing Pearl’s journey to let people into her life.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The colorful art does a wonderful job of capturing the beauty of the sea and the ramshackle nature of Pearl’s hometown. Of particular note are several continuous pages of wide, double-page panels, which, along with the occasional full-page spreads, result in an immersive, cinematic scope. Pearl of the Sea is a vibrant coastal coming-of-age story with secrets, monsters, and thrills throughout.”— Foreword Reviews

“Original, entertaining, and memorable, “Pearl of the Sea” is especially and unreservedly recommended.”— Midwest Book Review

Pearl of the Sea is a coming-of-age adventure story, but it is also mixed in with lively humour, tenderness and a measure of sadness. Its multi-layered storylines make for a wide audience of all ages, for sure. […] [It] succeeds on every level, creating an entertaining, enjoyable, and immersive experience that is unmistakably and truly South African.”—LitNet

“This beautifully illustrated adventure will thrill middle school readers.” — Good Comics for Kids Blog (School Library Journal)

“[A]n unending journey filled with charms and wit. Pearl of the Sea is not only a graphic novel without a blur but also an aquatic delicacy for young-adult readers – or anyone else with a large appetite for the genre.” —World Kid Lit Blog

“There is a delicate balance of nostalgia and discovery painted over the story’s coastal town to create an absolutely charming adventure with a touch of magic and unspoken bonds. A beautiful contrast between a struggle for agency and the shifting perspective of what monsters look like to us.” —Bill Masuku, Razor Man, Captain South Africa

The colours in this graphic novel are wonderful. From the vibrant pops of colour, blues of the underwater scenes and soft sunrises over the ocean. It’s a graphic novel with few words – Pearl likes to work alone, after all, and this leave plenty of space for page-width panels and dramatic spreads. Pearl of the Sea has wonderful themes of protecting our ocean life, friendship and opening up to others, even after losing someone close to you. Pearl must learn to be a friend and open herself to friendship. She also has to learn to accept help, though she is one tough and clever heroine. A beautiful graphic novel I can’t wait to add to our school library’s collection.” —– Madison Dearnaley, Head of Library Services at St Paul’s School, Brisbane

“Beautiful, spirited and gently romantic, Pearl of the Sea is an aquatic feast for the eye and a coup for South African comics.” – Richard Conyngham, All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa

Pearl of the Sea is lush in color and imaginative in ways I forgot comics could be. The natural world is a character of its own here and many layers of truth about identity are revealed in an charming, epic story.”—Shofela Coker, Liyana Art Director & co-creator of New Masters

Pearl of the Sea is an action-packed story in a unique setting. The beautiful illustrations bring you right into the ocean and the South African seaside town Pearl calls home. With mysteries and heart, this is an exciting graphic novel everyone will enjoy!” -Daron Nefcy, Star vs. The Forces of Evil

“A story of a free spirited feisty Pearl and a one eyed furry companion who meet a wounded sea monster. This story gives context to the history of over fishing, complications of poaching and how the laws negatively affect small scale indigenous fishing communities. It is a story of deep love and respect and made me hold my breath because I relate. Powerful and inspirational story telling!”— Traci Kwaai, artist and storyteller

“Pearl of the Sea is an exciting and heartwarming tale, part coming-of-age story and part adventure yarn featuring a young South African heroine who is smart, brave and effortlessly relatable to readers. The art evokes both the action of classic manga and the pristinely-framed storytelling of Herge’s Tintin. Using expansive panels of sunset vistas and sub-oceanic splash pages, the book creates a sense of fantastical wonder, as the tale unfurls (often wordlessly) through the eyes of the intrepid young heroine.” —Luke Molver, author and illustrator, King Shaka: Zulu Legend

“This strikingly illustrated graphic novel reminds us that pearls do not turn into gems overnight; Pearl’s journey is as turbulent and wondrous as the ocean she loves. Pearl of the Sea is a visual feast that tackles weighty themes with delicate non-preachy flair, making it fresh and relevant. It is a much-needed and timely story with a heart as big as a giant octopus.” —Hannes Barnard, Halley’s Comet

Meet the Team

Anthony Silverston is partner and Head of Development at Triggerfish Animation Studios in South Africa where he is currently overseeing a slate of projects in development and production.  These include Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, an anthology of 10 short films in production with Disney+, Mama K’s Team 4  with Netflix, and Kiya with Disney, eOne and Frogbox, as well as a number of feature films and TV series in development with various partners. In 2015, he oversaw the Story Lab, an initiative where 4 feature films and 4 TV series were chosen to be developed after a continent-wide search that drew almost 1400 entries. He also directed and co-wrote the feature film Khumba, which premiered in competition at Annecy International Animation Festival in 2013. The script, co-written with Raffaella Delle Donne, won a major UK scriptwriting competition in 2006 and was the first animation selected for No Borders Co-Production Market in its 30-year history. He has produced and written on Seal Team (released globally in December 2021 on Netflix), as well as Triggerfish’s first feature Zambezia.  Silverston was also producer of the short film Belly Flop which screened at over 135 festivals and won 14 awards, and the Blender short film, Troll Girl. Before joining Triggerfish, he completed three independent stop-motion shorts of his own.  He is also a published Microbiologist, which is a fact that has become increasingly less useful over the years.

Willem Samuel is a visual artist working in animation and comic books. His autobiographical novel, Mengelmoes, was published in the UK by Soaring Penguin Press in 2016 to critical acclaim. His comic work has featured in zines internationally, including the cult series Bitterkomix and in cyberspace via the award-winning online anthology Aces Weekly, brainchild of David Lloyd (V for Vendetta). Previously, Willem Art Directed the pan-African comic Supa Strikas, which was adapted into an animated series. More recently he served as Head of Story on the animated feature Seal Team as well as creating concept art for the Warhammer+ streaming series, Hammer & Bolter.

Raffaella Delle Donne has been working in the animation industry for over 15 years and has developed and created content with a specific focus on Africa for Disney, eOne, Snipple Animation, Wekids, Baobab Studios and Triggerfish Animation Studios. She was the TV Development Executive for the Triggerfish Studios/Disney Story Lab which incubated multiple shows and features, including Mama K’s Team 4, acquired by Netflix. She has written on a number of animated series including Love Monster (UYoung/BBC), PKing Duckling (Disney Jnr), and Monster Beach (Boomerang/Cartoon Network), as well as the award-winning animated features Adventures in Zambezia and Khumba (Triggerfish Animation Studios). She is currently working as a writer and Executive Creative Consultant on Kiya, a new preschool series produced by eOne, Triggerfish, Frog Box and TeamTO, in partnership with Disney Jnr.