Beneath the Waves - a review

As we read disturbing news accounts of dying manatees, environmental disasters caused by toxic waste, and ocean pollution on the scale of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it is more imperative than ever that we learn how to protect our miraculous blue planet. In honor of Earth Day, I highlight a beautiful book that's sure to engender respect and admiration for our ocean habitats, the creatures and plants who live in them, and the people who care for them.

 

Beneath the Waves: Celebrating the Ocean through Pictures, Poems, and Stories

By Stephanie Warren Drimmer

National Geographic, 20201

From bright sandy beaches to inky dark depths ... from sea stars to sea snakes to sea lions ... a wondrous world awaits Beneath the Waves

 

  Beneath the Waves is a browser's dream. Its generous size and 192 pages are awash in enticing facts about all facets of life and our interaction with oceans.  There are eleven chapters ranging from "On the Beach" to "People and Oceans," and including everything in-between—sea creatures, seashore creatures, habitats, geology, legends, scientific discoveries and more.  As with all National Geographic Kids publications, the illustrations are beautiful and offer a real insider's view of habitats and creatures from penguins to tropical fish. And of course, there are the extreme facts that fascinate kids and adults alike,

"Polar bears have been known to swim more than 60 miles (100 km) without rest in search of food."

"One of the world's oldest shell collections was unearthed from the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii."

"Jellyfish have lived in Earth's ocean for more than 500 million years."

 Included are Contents, Index, Photo Credits, Scientific Names of Ocean Life, and an Afterword by renowned oceanographer, Sylvia Earle.

This will be a great addition for libraries, or, as mine will be, a gift for a budding young environmentalist.

My copy of Beneath the Waves was provided by Media Masters Publicity.

Seashores - a review

About Habitats: Seashores
by Cathryn Sill
Peachtree, 2017

Approximately 40% of U.S. residents live near the coast, yet there is a dearth of nonfiction titles for very young readers on the topic.  Seashores fills this gap with beautiful, painted illustrations by wildlife artist, John Sill.  The illustrations are reminiscent of Audubon's style. Cathryn Sill offers very simple observations,

Plants have to be tough to live in the salty spray, strong winds, and hot sunshine at seashores.

Each sentence is in a large simple font on a white background.  The accompanying illustration is on the facing page.  In a nod to all types of seashores, there are depictions of muddy flats, rocky cliffs, palm-ringed beaches, and beaches from across the globe.  Wildlife and bird life are accurately represented in each location.

There is only one sentence or thought per page, however, for older readers, a note at the bottom offers the title and plate number of the illustration.  The author's Afterword lists each plate number with a small representation of the illustration and a paragraph that more fully describes the scene.  For the quote above, the description reads,

Many seashore plants grow close to the ground for protection from the wind.  Others have thick and waxy leaves that make it easier to store water.  Some have leaves covered with tiny hairs that protect the plant from the heat.  Pink Sand Verbenas have thick, water-storing leaves.  They live in sandy soil along the western coast of North America.

A Glossary and Bibliography complete the book.  The suggested age range for About Habitats: Seashores is from 3-7.  This is a lovely, educational book that will appeal to shore dwellers and mid-staters alike.


A Teacher's Guide for the About Habitats series is available here.


My copy of Seashores was provided by Peachtree Publishers.  It will be on a shelf near you in August.

The Busy Tree

Ward, Jennifer. 2009. The Busy Tree. Ill. by Lisa Falkenstern. Tarrytown,NY: Marshall Cavendish.

With oil paintings that are both realistic and beautiful, Busy Tree informs readers of the many uses for a tree. In first -person rhyme, the "tree" tells of its many denizens,
"This is the spider that lives in my bark, spinning a web from dawn until dark." A simple and powerful introduction to trees.