SEASHORES

The creators of the About Habitats series add another excellent edition filled with information about various seashore environments around the world.

Seventeen illustrations are each matched to a simple one-sentence statement that notes its characteristics and wildlife. From the shores of the Indian Ocean to the sand dunes of the Atlantic to the rocky beaches of the Pacific, a caption for each plate identifies the name of the ocean and the specific flora and fauna depicted in a realistic scenic watercolor painting. For example, in the picture of the “southern ocean seashore,” large rock formations stand in line along the shoreline while sea gulls wheel in a pale blue sky above the greenish sea. The author also uses this initial painting to introduce the book’s overall concept. “Seashores are the places where land and oceans meet.” The backmatter allows for a more detailed description of each in a one-paragraph explanation next to a thumbnail duplicate of the specific painting. These brief yet informative amplifications address how wildlife and plant life have adapted to each habitat’s conditions.

The beautifully designed layout and succinct text combine with the backmatter to offer very accessible nonfiction reading for the very young as well as early grade students.