Youngsters will be sucked into this engaging, informative account of a most unusual ecosystem.
From the broken-off tip of a sargassum plant, a whole community grows in the Sargasso Sea.
This appealing title illustrates the remarkable variety of “the ocean’s floating golden rainforest,” as marine biologist and oceanographer Sylvia Earle puts it in her afterword. Set on and off the shores of Bermuda, the book depicts racially diverse beachgoers making their own whirlpool as Rosenstock describes the enormous whirling area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Sargasso Sea, the result of “five currents [swirling] billions of gallons of water clockwise.” Next, she introduces the sargassum, an algae that reproduces by growing anew from broken-off bits. Step by step, the sargassum grows, and other living creatures—crabs, shrimp, swordfish—come. They graze on it, take shelter in it, and feed on smaller inhabitants. Gradually, the population builds up until we see humpback whales and then a happy Black-presenting human swimmer. The author makes clear how interdependent these creatures are and describes the complexity of their world. This deftly told narrative would be grand fun to read aloud. The creatures are introduced in triplet lines: “Crusty bryozoans / feathery hydroids. / Spiraled tube worms.” Rosenstock’s concise text exudes energy and makes wonderful use of alliteration: “They scavenge. Snatching and shredding.” “Water-striders speed on the surface.” Roy’s gorgeous, watercolorlike illustrations swirl with vibrant hues and would show well to a group.
Youngsters will be sucked into this engaging, informative account of a most unusual ecosystem. (map, research note, too much sargassum?, sources) (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781324016076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
A lyrical and educational look at the water cycle.
Through many types of weather and the different seasons, water tells readers about its many forms.
“Sometimes I’m the rain cloud / and sometimes I’m the rain.” Water can make rainbows and can appear to be different colors. Water is a waterfall, a wave, an ocean swell, a frozen pond, the snow on your nose, a cloud, frost, a comet, a part of you. Throughout, Paterson’s rhyming verses evoke images of their own: “Soon the summer sun is back / and warms me with its rays. / I rise in rumbling thunderheads / like castles in the haze,” though at times word order seems to have been chosen for rhyme rather than meaning (“In fall I sink into a fog / and blanket chilly fields, / with pumpkins touched by morning frost / the harvest season yields”). Backmatter includes a diagram of the water cycle that introduces and describes each step with solid vocabulary, including “Collection” as a step in the process; “The Science Behind the Poetry,” which unpacks some of the poetic language and phrases; some water activities and explorations; conservation tips; and a list of other books from the publisher about water. Paterson’s full- and double-page–spread illustrations are just as magical as his verse, showing water in its many forms from afar and close up. Few people appear on his pages, but the vast majority of those are people of color.
A lyrical and educational look at the water cycle. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-58469-615-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dawn Publications
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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