DIVE, DIVE INTO THE NIGHT SEA

Catch a glimpse of the eerie beauty of the night sea.

By the light of a full moon, a scuba diver, seen in silhouette, hovers over the water before jumping in. The diver’s elongated shape drifts through the darkened seascape, a ray of light from a headlamp cutting through the shadowy underworld. Capturing the quiet vastness of the ocean, Lu employs dark blue tones to depict a realm that may appear calm and quiet yet is full of movement. As readers turn the pages of this vertically oriented book, each atmospheric spread reveals another breathtaking wonder: from enormous manta rays with “gaping mouths” to tiny, bioluminescent plankton. The spare, inquisitive text complements this hazy dreamworld: “I shine my light and wait to see who will come to me.” The beam of the flashlight provides a sharp focus against the dark blue sea life, with lift-a-flap panels offering thought-provoking facts (e.g., parrotfish bed down in protective cocoons that they create out of goo). Returning to the surface, the diver swims through a pod of sleeping sperm whales, suspended upright like giant floating stones. Though many children fear the dark, Lu makes clear that there’s nothing to be afraid of here—this is a moving journey into the unknown.

A fascinating, poetic tour.