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.

Cute Chameleons!

Behold the Chameleon 

by Suzanne Slade; illus by Thomas Gonzalez

40 pages; ages 4-8

Peachtree, 2025

theme: animals, nature, nonfiction

Amazing chameleon! Four sturdy legs creep and crawl through lush, tall trees…

Many people know chameleons as a lizard that can change color. But did you know that they can move their eyes independently? That means a chameleon can keep one eye on its prey swiveling the other eye to keep a look-out for predators. Pretty nifty! Plus, there are more than 220 different species ranging in size from as small as your thumbnail to as big as a housecat. And then there’s that super-speedy sticky tongue that can zap prey faster than you can take two giant steps.

What I like about this book: Spare lyrical language is paired with layered text providing alternate ways to read this book. Large text focuses on different aspects of chameleons, from their activities (stalking, dining) to attributes (victorious, meticulous) and allows for read-aloud opportunities. Text in smaller font provides more information about each chameleon characteristic and is perfect for older kids or as a fast fact to toss out in a discussion. Back matter provides further considerations of chameleons, and a short bibliography points the way for curious kids (and adults) who might want to read more about some of the studies.

Beyond the Book:

Craft a Color-Changing chameleon – all you need are paper plates, paint, a brass fastener, and a chameleon stencil. Check out this video from PBS for how to do it.

Make a paper chameleon with a blow-out tongue. You’ll need some colored paper and a straw and a couple more easy-to-find things. Here’s a video showing how to do it.

Create some counting and math games for a paper chameleon. Draw and color a chameleon, and tape it to a plastic cup or other container. Then use small pom-poms for flies. You can have kids use a clothespin or tweezers to “feed” flies to the chameleon by dropping them in his cup. You can count flies – or roll a die to determine how many flies to feed the chameleon. Here’s a resource for those games.

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.