CAPTAIN CARP SAVES THE SEA John Larsen. Toronto, Annick Press, c1983. unpaged, paper, $10.95 (paperbound boards), $4.95 (paper). ISBN 0-920236-50-2 (paperbound boards), 0-920236-48-2 (paper). Pre-School-Grade 2. Reviewed by Sally Davis. Volume 11 Number 6. 1983 November. A picture book about a retired captain living in an abandoned lighthouse holds promise. To pass away his retired years, Captain Carp spends his days rowing, but one day this becomes impossible. The sea has disappeared. To discover where it has gone, the Captain attaches a big orange balloon to his rowboat and rows through the air until he discovers the answer. A gigantic purple monster is the culprit. It has swallowed the sea, boats, fish and all. Quite by accident, the Captain bumps into the monster's big toe, through which the sea gushes out. Now, once again, the Captain can spend his days rowing. This is an amusing book but it is doubtful that it will capture children's fancy to the extent that they will pore over the illustrations and demand it be read over and over. The coloured line drawings have humour to them at times; however, they lack inspired imagination. The text is straightforward, not condescending. The problem with this picture book seems to lie with the Captain. Except for this one escapade with the monster, the Captain offers nothing to endear him to the reader. This lack is reflected in the illustrations and text, forcing me to rank the book as trivial. Sally Davis, St. John's, NL.