GOD MADE THE OCEAN

A theological exploration of the ocean-dwelling creatures and how God made them.

With two sentences per double-page spread, Collins introduces young readers to sea horses, octopuses, manatees, spotted leopard rays, and more. Some of the couplets rhyme and some just almost rhyme, but all share a factual tidbit about the featured sea critter and how they were created by God’s design. The animal facts are a mélange of the intriguing (sardines swim in schools, “mov[ing] like a shimmering ball”) and the vague (beluga whales have a “special sound”). While God is referred to with the masculine pronoun, the imagery is based in the natural world and the doctrine is broad, allowing this title to appeal to many faiths. Collins’ flat, geometric images, featuring heavily patterned backgrounds, soothing colors, and depictions of sea creatures stripped down to their basic shapes, are a mixed bag. Some are harmoniously soothing, like the jellyfish swimming through a chain of bubbles, while others are cluttered and confusing, such as the rectangular blocks of blue that background the oysters. The project ends with a heavily patterned sun rising (or setting) over an equally busy ocean with the declaration that God cares for the creatures of the ocean, but “he cares for you even more!”

A mostly pleasant excursion for families seeking a God-centered introduction to aquatic life.