OCTOPUS OYSTER HERMIT CRAB SNAIL

Anderson takes readers on an exhilarating ride from reef to deep sea to ebbing wave on the beach, portraying an intricate dance of sea life in stunning paper collages (or are they digital paintings?) and sinuous verse—“Slippery ripples / slide under the skate. / Schools of fish flurry, / a snail stops to wait.” Every turn of the page brings a dramatic change, opening with a fiery orange octopus writhing by and brightly colored creatures turning to face the viewer, followed by an immense whale nosing past and then a seal beginning a long dive into the darkness. With rich colors and subtle interplays of sharp angles and long curves, the art has a visual impact reminiscent of Lois Ehlert’s Fish Eyes (1990), well supported by the brief, strongly rhythmic poem. Don’t hesitate to dive into this one. (Picture book/poetry. 6-8)