An Underwater Fieldtrip to Seagrass Meadows

 

Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass 
by Michelle Schaub; illus. by Khoa Le 
40 pages; ages 5-8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2026

themes: ocean, animals, ecology
 

Where ocean meets shore, 

beneath the waves, 

vast grasses sway.

If you’re heading to the ocean this summer, you might want to know more about the mysterious wonders of seagrass. They form underwater pastures filled with leaves that twist and curl, billow and bend. Although they’re called “seagrasses” they aren’t really grasses. “They’re underwater flowering plants that evolved from land plants about 100 million years ago,” writes Michelle Shaub. She takes us on an underwater field trip to look in the nooks and crannies of the seagrass meadows, pointing out the fish, turtles, and other marine creatures that live there. 

 

What I like about this book: I love the lyrical language that gently draws you into the underwater environment. I also like that Michelle shows how seagrass meadows are integral to the health of the planet. The plants sequester carbon, produce oxygen, and act as filters to help clean the water. As tough as they are, withstanding wind and waves, the seagrasses suffer from increasingly frequent marine heatwaves and chemical pollution. Fortunately, we can all be seagrass heroes, and Michelle ends with a list of things kids (and adults) can do to help keep the seagrass meadows strong. Back matter includes a closer look at the marine life that call seagrass meadows home, and a glossary. And did I mention that I love the artwork? Illustrator Khoa Le fills the pages with colors of the sea, and the rhythm of the plants swaying in the tide. Her art is informed by her personal observation of sea meadows during free-dives.

Beyond the Books:

Get to know a few kinds of seagrass from the Florida Museum. Draw your favorite one.

If you are at the shore, put on some snorkeling goggles or wade into the water and look down at a patch of seagrass. If you stay still, you might be surprised at what you see. The best places to search are shallow, sheltered places like bays and estuaries, where the sunlight reaches all the way to the sandy bottom. Look for dark green patches of plants.

Check out Michelle’s activity guide for a Seagrass matching game, writing a poem, and how to be a Seagrass Hero (and more!) at her website, www.michelleschaub.com/meadows. Click on the “download here” button.

Michelle is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website www.michelleschaub.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ Spittlebug Season

 

The other morning I headed out to take photos of all the spiderwebs in the "tall grass" - a section of lawn we've let grow. It's not so much grass as it is a mix of wild flowers and plants that have grown up. Along with the numerous webs, I noticed lots of spitballs ...

 

Yep, it's that time of year again: spittlebug season! Spittlebugs are juvenile "froghoppers" that suck plant sap, spill it all over themselves, then blow air out their butts to create a froth of bubbles.

 

 This is what they look like if you wipe some of the spit off their faces. Cute little buggers, aren't they?

 

 I see them on so many different plants, but I've never taken the time to make a list of:

• what plants do I find them on?
• do they prefer mid-level living or top floor?
• are there any plants they won't choose?
• how many spittlebug friends share the plant?

 This week head out on a Spittlebug Search!

What do you DO with a 40-pound Cabbage?

 

The Cabbage Seed's Colossal Secret
by Karen M. Greenwald; illus. by Alejandra Ruiz 
40 pages; ages 4-8
Tilbury House Publishers, 2026

themes: garden, food, community

If someone gives you a tiny seed, you’ll want to plant it in a secret spot.

When a child plants a tiny seed, she wonders what secrets it will reveal. She waters it and nurtures it and the tiny plant grows and grows and grows until it is huge! What does a kid do with a 40-pound cabbage?

What I like about this book: If you’ve ever grown a cabbage, then you know just how large they can grow! I like how Karen Greenwald shows her character, Katie wondering, and watching, and then realize that she might have to do arm-strengthening exercises in order to harvest the cabbage! And then how she dreams of what she can possibly do with such a huge vegetable… and eventually how this one girl’s dream of feeding people turned into a charity that encourages people to grow food for hunger relief programs. 

 

Backmatter tells more about Katie’s Krops and has some practical guidelines for how kids can nurture goodness in their own gardens.

Beyond the Books:

How many things can you do with a cabbage? Sure, you can turn it into coleslaw and sauerkraut, but there must be other things? Buy a cabbage and experiment with recipes!

Plant a seed – something you like to eat. And then watch it grow. Document its growth by drawing pictures or taking photos and measuring it. If you only have a small space, look for veggies that can grow in containers.

Find out more about Katie’s Krops, and see if there are similar programs in your area. Our town has community raised bed gardens behind the food pantry, and when people don’t need everything they grow, they donate it to the pantry.

In a couple weeks, on June 24, Karen’s joining a bunch of us to chat about writing agriculturally-related books over at the GROG blog. She is also a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website www.karengreenwald.com You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.