The Ocean Dream

Author: Nhã Thuyên

Illustrator: Lê Thị Bích Khoa

Translator: Alisha Berger

Coral loves to explore her river.

She spends hours playing in the clear blue water.

“How many rivers are there on earth? ” Coral wonders. “ Where does this river lead? I wish I could swim to the ocean. ”

One day, a rainbow fish appears, struggling in the river grass. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful fish,” thinks Coral.

“ Let me help you, little one.”

The fish swishes its tail. “Come with me,” she says. “You saved me, so I will share with you a gift from the ocean.”

“A gift from the ocean? ” Coral dives into the river. Cool water swirls around her body.

Coral and the rainbow fish swim and swim.

They keep swimming.

Through the river…

...over an enormous, cresting wave...

...and into the ocean .

Finally, they reach the ocean's heart.

Coral can barely believe what she sees.

The rainbow fish waves its tail in a water dance.

The ocean water is cool and fresh. It wraps itself around Coral like a sweet hug.

Then, a gate to the underwater world opens.

Coral thinks, “I have never seen so much light.”

“Welcome to our world, beautiful explorer,” the fish say.

“With this crown, you

are now one of us. ”

The fish take Coral to rest on a bed of the softest seaweed.

“Please stay with us,” the fish say.

A salty drop falls on Coral’s eyelashes. She blinks…

The underwater world has disappeared.

Coral is lying next to her beloved river.

She wonders, “ was it all a dream? ”

Everyone she knows has their own dream.

Coral dreams of becoming a great explorer.

“Rainbow fish, I will return to you,” Coral whispers.

Someday, I will return to you.

This book was made possible by Pratham Books' StoryWeaver platform. Content under Creative Commons licenses can be downloaded, translated and can even be used to create new stories provided you give appropriate credit, and indicate if changes were made. To know more about this, and the full terms of use and attribution, please visit the following link .

Story Attribution:

This story:The Ocean Dreamis translated byAlisha Berger. The © for this translation lies with Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Based on Original story:'Giấc mơ biển xanh', byNhã Thuyên. © Room to Read , 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

Other Credits:

This story 'The Ocean Dream' has been published on StoryWeaver by Room to Read.

Images Attributions:

Cover page:Girl floating with some red fishes, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 2:Girl in a water body, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 3:A girl floating in a water body, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 4:A girl sitting in a water body, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 5:A pair of hands reaching out to a fish, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 6:A girl diving in after a fish, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 7:A girl swimming in a choppy sea, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 8:A girl trapped amid waves, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 9:A girl at peace with the fishes, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 10:A girl floating by underwater growth, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Disclaimer:https://www.storyweaver.org.in/terms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved. This book is CC-BY-4.0 licensed. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. For full terms of use and attribution, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This book was made possible by Pratham Books' StoryWeaver platform. Content under Creative Commons licenses can be downloaded, translated and can even be used to create new stories provided you give appropriate credit, and indicate if changes were made. To know more about this, and the full terms of use and attribution, please visit the following link .

Images Attributions:

Page 11:One swimmer, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 12:A girl swimming under the ocean, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 13:A girl surrounded by fishes, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 14:A girl and a fish, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 15:A girl sleeping on seaweed, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 16:One girl, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 17:Girl resting on a rock, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 18:Three girls drawing on some sheets, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 19:Three girls looking at one drawing, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 20:A girl sitting in a room filled with marine life pictures, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 21:Girl in a submarine, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Page 22:Girl floating in water with her eyes closed, byLê Thị Bích Khoa© Room to Read, 2012. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.Disclaimer:https://www.storyweaver.org.in/terms_and_conditions

Some rights reserved. This book is CC-BY-4.0 licensed. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. For full terms of use and attribution, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Ocean Dream (English)

Coral loves exploring the river. One day, she saves a rainbow fish from the river grass, and together they begin an underwater adventure.

This is a Level 2 book for children who recognize familiar words and can read new words with help.

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