What's That Noise?

When Magnus the seal is awakened by a rumbling sound, it may be closer than he thinks in a funny, kid-friendly story that winds up with facts about Arctic creatures.

Rumble, rumble, rumble. . . . What’s that noise?

Magnus the Arctic seal wakes up from a very deep sleep one morning, puzzled by a strange rumbling sound. What's that noise? Could it be the creaking of the trees? The whistling of the wind? The cracking of the ice? The roaring of the sea? Hare, Owl, and Polar Bear don’t have any idea, but Walrus has a good suggestion: it could be Magnus's rumbling tummy! After a yummy feast of plump, pink shrimp, the friends all settle down to sleep — but suddenly there’s another rumbling sound. What’s that noise? Readers curious about the creatures can learn more about them and their environment in an informative final spread.

Naomi Howarth is a costume designer as well as an illustrator. She is the author-illustrator of The Crow's Tale, which was short-listed for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She lives in London.