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.

PB & Jellyfish?

The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents   

by Karen Jameson; illus by Marie Hermansson

40 pages; ages 5-8

Chronicle Books, 2026

themes: ocean animals, animal adaptations, STEM

Jellies pulse, jellies ride, gracing waters as they glide

Using poetic lines, Karen Jameson takes readers on a field trip to a jellyfish aquarium. On each spread, she focuses on a single aspect of jellyfish-iness. For example, they have no bones! They come in a variety of shapes and colors and sizes. And even though they can feel, they have no brain. Gorgeous illustrations will draw you right into the book, and you’ll wonder how you can spend time with these intriguing animals.

What I like about this book: It’s fun, engaging, and all science. Plus, there’s extensive back matter. A section on Jellyfish facts expands on the information presented on each spread. Another section gives insight into jelly research and their role in ocean ecosystems. The last four pages are a “Meet the Jellies” extravaganza! Sort of like a condensed field guide to cool jellyfish you might meet at an aquarium. 

This is such a fun book to read, that I had to ask Karen a couple of questions:

Me: How did you come to this structure for your book? 

Karen: Here’s the short and sweet answer. As with all my nonfiction books, there was a lot of thought and consideration given as to which key information belonged in the main text. Above all, I wanted readers to “travel" through these pages to an aquarium and experience the awe of an immersive jellyfish exhibit. Readers would wander from room to room (or tank to tank) in a way that felt organic. I also wanted it to be an engaging read-aloud. After composing the stanzas, I simply put them on post-it notes and shifted them around like puzzle pieces to see which order felt right.  Of course, I also ran it past my trusty critique group!

Me: I love the back matter. Can you talk about your research?

Karen: Yes, it is a lot of back matter! It was initially more compact, but grew after we decided to move the side bars to the back and add a “Meet the Jellies” section. I’d been lucky enough to visit the aquarium on multiple occasions (it’s about a 5 hour drive from my home).  However, since I began researching this during the pandemic when Monterey Bay Aquarium was closed, that wasn’t an option. But, I was able to enjoy their incredible online Jelly Cam footage and explore their website for further information.  I then expanded to additional online sources  -  other prominent aquariums, ocean and science sites. Though libraries were closed, I was able to order nonfiction jellyfish books (both adult and kid lit titles) from various sites for secure pick up. More online research of scholarly journals and the like rounded it up.

Though the book was inspired by Monterey Bay Aquarium, the aquarium itself does NOT have all those specific jellyfish, just some. Early on I made the decision to focus on true jellies around the world, of which there are 200+ known varieties. You can visit other cool kinds of jellyfish, such as comb jellies, at Monterrey and other aquariums.

Beyond the Books:

Watch jellyfish with live jellyfish cams! These nettle jellies are at the Aquarium of the Pacific, and these moon jellies are at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Create a jellyfish dance. Stretch and squeeze to move like a jellyfish. If you really want to play the part, create a jellyfish costume using an old umbrella or wide-brimmed hat and strips of cloth or scarves. 

Make a jellyfish out of your handprint, a paper plate, or even coffee filters. Please skip the glitter – it’s not healthy for ocean animals.

Karen is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her at her website at https://karenljameson.com/. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM at https://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 Blue Slip Media.

Tiny, Essential Ocean Creatures

The Ocean's Heart: The Tiny Creatures Essential to Life 

by Jilanne Hoffmann; illus. by Khoa Le 

32 pages; ages 6-10

‎Millbrook Press, 2026

theme: ocean animals, ecology, food web

Far below the ocean’s surface live tiny, restless creatures called zooplankton. They are the ocean’s heart.

Some are so tiny that you need a microscope to see them. Others you can see with your naked eye. The one thing they have in common is they drift along with the ocean’s currents. Like other animals, zooplankton need to eat to survive, and therein lies a problem: to get food, the zooplankton need to rise to the surface where their food supply – tiny plants – thrive. But once in the light, zooplankton are visible to predators! How can these tiny critters eat without being eaten? More importantly, will any of them make it to the end of the book?

What I like love about this book: I love Jilanne’s lyrical language as she takes us on the dangerous journey zooplankton make nightly to get their dinner. And there’s the race – will they get their fill before the larger ocean animals see them and come hunting? Jilanne encourages readers to cheer for the plankton, and to celebrate their success when they make it. There are two perfectly placed book turns where we need vertical pages to see them paddling, rowing, spinning and spiraling up, up, up… and another as they make the return journey, diving and paddling down, down, down to safety. The illustrations bring these tiny creatures to life on the page. And back matter provides more information for curious kids (and adults!) who want to know more about the ocean’s food web. There’s even a list of ways you can help zooplankton! I don't usually give stars, but I'd give this one Five Copepods 

The title of this book is so intriguing that I just had to ask Jilanne One Question:

Me: Can you tell us how you came to view the zoo plankton as the "ocean's heart"?

Jilanne: Great question! I have a tendency to think in metaphor, even when I'm not actively searching for one. My brain suddenly makes a connection and then that metaphor may trigger another one. And sometimes another. This was the case for zooplankton. I had originally written THE OCEAN'S HEART in first person POV from the perspective of the ocean, where Mama Ocean talks about her tiny ones, her children, the ones that are dear to her heart. And I kept that metaphor even as I switched to third person POV, because zooplankton not only form part of the carbon cycle (where they shuttle carbon into the deep ocean after having eating phytoplankton), but those little swimmers (defying their name, they don't just float) also circulate ocean water, sending cold water upward and warm water downward as they migrate each night. 

Scientists now believe that their movement is as important to ocean water circulation (and the circulation of nutrients) as the wind and tides, which is huge! And what does the heart do? It circulates oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body, and returns carbon dioxide to the lungs that then needs to be exhaled. So, I began thinking of phytoplankton as the ocean's lungs, absorbing that carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen to its waters and the creatures that live there. And then my mind made another leap....whales are like the ocean's muscles...because they pump iron. After eating tons upon tons of zooplankton, effectively concentrating all of the iron from zooplankton in their digestive systems, whales return it to the ocean and to other critters and phytoplankton that need it in the form of poop. The healthier the whale population, the more they pump (poop) iron, the healthier the population of phytoplankton and other critters. So, there you have it, the heart, lungs, and muscles of the ocean. An extended metaphor that will stay with me forever.

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about plankton in this video, The Secret Life of Plankton  and at Woods Hole’s website.

Compare a zooplankton’s nightly migration to your own life. Jilanne compares a zooplankton’s journey to the ocean’s surface to a human swimming 125 miles – and that’s just one way. The zooplankton have to return home, too. Every night! If you traveled 125 miles from your home, where might you end up? For me, that would be close to Russia or Norway – both towns in upstate New York!

How long would it take you to walk 125 miles? The average walking speed of an adult is around 3 miles/hour. Four, if they walk briskly. Think about how far you could walk at a time… and snack breaks. 

Jilanne is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. I reviewed her book, A River of Dust a couple years ago on this very blog. You can find out more about Jilanne and her books at her at her website jilannehoffmann.com. Folks who pre-order her book (before March 3) can get entered in a raffle for amazing prizes. You can preorder a copy here - then direct message her on IG, BlueSky, or Facebook (links at that page) to let her know you'd like to be entered in the raffle. 

 

You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM 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.

Two by Blue Dot Kids

 Every now and then I run across a couple of books that incorporate STEM elements in an imaginative way. Today I’m sharing two new picture books recently released by Blue Dot Kids Press.

theme: nature, imagination, global connection

Moon Sailors

by Naomi Woodward; illus by Rachel Gregg 

32 pages; ages 3-6

Bed sheets billow in solar winds, as we cast our boat adrift…

As a fan of “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” I was captivated by the idea of “moon sailors in search of treasure…” In this imaginary journey, two children – and their cat – sail off to follow the trails of celestial snails, wake up cockles and crabs, and meet a curious cephalopod. 

What I like about this book: This is a perfect lullaby read-aloud, with a gentle, put-you-to-sleep rhythm. There are wonderful words tucked in: iridescent, tentacles… Presented as an ocean-meets-the-moon adventure, the creatures of sand and sea are anything but imaginary. If you have an opportunity to explore a sea shore or a tide pool, you may meet many of these creatures.

Together, Right Now

by Olga Fadeeva

40 pages; ages 3-7

Right now, you are reading this book. Right now, someone is eating breakfast. Right now, someone is falling asleep.

As you go about your day, doing the things you do, animals and people around the world are doing the things they do. But where they are it might be night, where you have day. They might be planting gardens while you shovel snow. 

What I like about this book: The language is lovely and invites readers to look closely at the place where they live – and then look more broadly at how others are living, from deserts to islands. I like the global connection: eight billion people and millions of species of plants and animals are all breathing and living together on this unique planet. And I like the diversity of color and texture in the artwork.

Beyond the Books:

Listen to the poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod” and let your imagination sail with them on their journey. Draw a picture of what you might see on a journey in the night sky.

Visit an aquarium or tide pool to see some of the creatures that the moon sailors might have seen. If you can’t get to a tide pool or aquarium, you can learn about tide pool creatures at Crystal Cove State Park, California, or go on a longer (25 minute) video tour with a marine biologist.

What is it like where you live right now? Is it daytime? Night time? Summer? Winter? And what do you see when you look out a window? 

Find where you are on a globe. Now find a spot on the other side of the Earth – and look for the nearest landmass. Find out who and what lives there. If you were there right now, would it be daytime or night? Warm or cold? What would you see?

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 publisher.

Animals with Jobs

Animals lead busy lives: finding food, building nests, taking care of their families. And some animals have jobs, helping other animals – or even people. Today’s books, released back in February, feature fish that provide cleaning services and conservation dogs.

themes: animals, nature, nonfiction

Don't Eat the Cleaners! Tiny Fish with a Big Job 

by Susan Stockdale 

32 pages; ages 4-8

‎Peachtree, 2025 

Ocean animals never have to take a bath like you do, right? They live in water! But they still become dirty, so they still have to get clean.

Fish don’t use scrub brushes and sponges. Instead, they go to the cleaners – a station where cleaner wrasse and cleaner shrimp hang out, ready to nibble dead skin and parasites of their fishy customers. These cleaner fish also slip between sharp teeth, pulling out bits of food, and nibble algae from sea turtle shells.

What I like about this book: the illustrations are bold and bright, full of patterns that will delight the eye. The text describes how cleaning fish and shrimp advertise their availability, and do their jobs. Susan Stockdale points out that cleaning wrasse may remember up to 100 different “customers”, and notes that sometimes the cleaning stations are so busy that reef animals have to line up like cars at a car wash! Everything works well, as long as the big fish remember the one rule: Don’t eat the cleaners!

Dogs take on many different kinds of jobs, from rescue animals to service animals. Here’s a story about a different career path…

Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero 

by Carol A. Foote; illus. by Larry Day 

48 pages; ages 5-9

‎ Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025

Tucker never meant to be trouble. He just loved to play.

But all that romping and chasing and chewing and crashing meant a trip back to the animal shelter. Until one day Laura stopped by. “Maybe he’s the right kind of trouble,” she said and took him home. She thought that a dog with lots of energy might just be the perfect sort of partner, so she played “find the smell” games and tug-of-war. And when he was finally ready, Laura took him … snail hunting (for invasive species), beetle detecting, and turtle egg-finding.

What I like about this book: I like the way Carol Foote shows the patience and training that goes into developing the skills a conservation dog needs. I like seeing the conservation cases that Tucker solves. And I like the extensive back matter, where Carol explains how conservation dogs help biologists. There’s also a section about other jobs dogs do, too, as not all dogs have the temperament to work in the field. This is a heartwarming tale for anyone who has wondered what their place in the world is.

After reading about Trouble, I had One Question for Carol: 

Me: When did the idea for this story start germinating in your heart? And when did you know you had to turn it into a book for kids?

Carol and Lily

Carol: Like many people, I had never heard of conservation dogs until I saw one demonstrating its talents at a Wildlife Conservation Expo a few years ago. The dog’s handler, Megan Parker, who later became one of my main sources for the book, was hiding things for the dog, Pepin, to find. She explained how conservation dogs help conservationists by finding rare or invasive plants and animals and the scat of elusive or endangered species. 

But what touched my heart and made me want to write the story was hearing that great conservation dogs are often so exuberant and rambunctious that they’re rejected as pets and abandoned in shelters where they’re marked as “trouble.” Fortunately, conservationists have learned to search shelters for such dogs and put their energy and intensity to work helping wildlife. They give these dogs a second chance at life—a home, love and a purpose they enjoy. I instantly knew I wanted to write that story, and I immediately saw it as a picture book.

Carol Foote is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, www.carolafoote.com.

Beyond the Books:

Create a “help wanted” ad or poster for a job that needs to be done. In our house it’s usually a tall stack of dirty dishes that needs washing! What sort of animals might apply for the job? And how would they do the job?

Check out how manta rays get cleaned by cleaner wrasse in this video.

Meet a conservation dog in this video

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.

A bowl full of jellies

 

Jellyfish Scientist: Maude Delap and Her Mesmerizing Medusas 

by Michelle Cusolito; illus. by Ellen Rooney

32 pages; ages 7-10

Charlesbridge, 2025 

theme: biography, nonfiction, jellyfish  

Welcome to the craggy coast of Ireland. The lady rowing her currach into the surf is Maude Delap. She’s a scientist collecting specimens.

And with that introduction, we’re headed out to sea with Maude to collect compass jellyfish. Why? Because no one has ever watched a jellyfish go through a complete lifecycle. So Maude intends to raise one in captivity. Sounds easy: fill a tank with sea water and watch. But the water has to be freshened frequently, and then there’s the issue of feeding the jellies – what do they even eat?

What I like about this book: So much! Starting with the end pages, which show the life cycle of a jellyfish. Then there's the title with marvelous alliteration: mesmerizing medusas. I like the journal headings, like on the first page where it says June 21, 1899 ~ Day 1. And the almost-last page where it says July 8, 1900 ~ Day 383. I love the language of the jellyfish observations: Pump, sway. Pump, sway. I admire Maude’s determination and dedication. And there is back matter! Author Michelle Cusolito includes additional information about jellyfish and Maude Delap, plus an author’s note about how she came to write this book. Illustrator, Ellen Rooney pens her own notes about the research she did to inform her artwork – including a trip to the New England Aquarium in Boston so she could watch (and sketch) jellyfish swimming. 

I had so much fun reading about the jellies that I just had to ask Michelle one question.

Me: How did you come to land on the journal style for your book?

Photo credit: Alison Noyce

Michelle: This book went through many iterations with varied approaches. Landing on the voice and structure took a long time. From April of 2020 until February of 2021, there were no headings like you see in the final book. Then, in February of 2021, I started trying out headings to help emphasize the passage of time. My initial headings were JUNE, THE NEXT DAY, SIX DAYS LATER, NINE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER, etc. They weren’t quite working, but I didn’t have a solution yet.

And then there was a large gap until I was able to get back to the manuscript. I got the news that I’d be going to sea with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. I had to prepare for two weeks of quarantine (in April of 2021—still during Covid) followed by our time on the ship, so all of my attention turned to prepping for the voyage and researching for the book I would write for middle schoolers about the expedition. I was gone for five and a half weeks. When I returned, I needed to actually write that book, so Maude still had to wait.  I didn’t return to Maude’s story until 11 months later, in January of 2022. By then, I had submitted the manuscript for A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone: Twenty-Four Days of Science at Sea to my editor, so I had time to spend with Maude.

I added the journal style headings on March 4, 2022. I don't recall the exact moment when I thought to add them, but I'm certain my work on A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone impacted my thinking. That book documents our time at sea and uses the same kind of headings. I’m sure that made the idea click for me.

Here’s something that might be helpful to other writers: Some of my headings in that March 4, 2022 version looked like this:  April 3-4, 1900 (Day XX). I didn’t want to derail my revision process by stopping to calculate the days, so I simply put XX to remind myself to do it later. I use this strategy often when I don’t have an exact number or fact I need, but I don’t want to stop to research or calculate. I know that uses a different part of my brain and getting back to the creative writing brain takes too long.

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing that bit of wisdom for us! Michelle is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website,  www.michellecusolito.com You’ll find reviews of her other books right here on the blog – just put her name into the search bar on the right.

Beyond the Books:

Find some jellyfish to watch. Ideally, you could watch some at an aquarium, but if you can’t travel to one, check out these videos at National Geographic and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Illustrator Ellen Rooney says that sketching is a great way to study nature. “Once you draw something, you understand it in a new way…” whether it’s a jellyfish at an aquarium or a bird outside your window. So grab some paper and pencils and do some sketching. 

Make some jellyfish crafts – you’ll find plenty of ideas here, including how to create a jellyfish costume!

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. Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Meet a Unicorn! OK - a Whale with a Tusk...

 

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic 

by Candace Fleming; illus by Deena So’Oteh 

‎48 pages; ages 4-8

Anne Schwartz Books, 2024

theme: ocean, whales, ecology

You are a narwhal – shy, swift, small (for a whale).

Your ivory tusk sprouts from your upper left jaw, “thick as a lamppost, taller than a man.” Which is okay because, now that you’re full grown, you’re at least 16 feet long.  I hope you’ve got a good layer of blubber, because you’re living in the Arctic! On this winter day, when you poke your head through the ice, you spot another male. And so you do what guy narwhals do: you cross tusks. Clackety-clack! They sound like wooden sticks smacking each other.

Are you playing?

Fighting?

Showing off for a female?

What I like about this book: Through lyrical language and luscious art we come to inhabit the world of the narwhal, and meet other arctic creatures – some prey, one predator. When the narwhal dives deep, nearly a mile into the blackness of the ocean, we go too, relying on echolocation to find food. I like how Candace Fleming adds sounds: the clacking of tusks, the ticking of whale sonar. I love that there’s a gate fold that, when you turn the book, you get a very long illustration of the very deep dive to go hunting. I like that the book spans a year in the life of a narwhal, and the way the second-person point of view pulls the reader into the experience. And, of course there is Back Matter! Because we want to know more about the research and the lives of these secretive mammals.

Beyond the Books:

Learn more about narwhals and check out a video at National Geographic and more facts at the World Wildlife Fund.

Compare yourself to a narwhal. Grab a tape measure and some chalk and head out to the nearest sidewalk or driveway. Measure out a 15 or 20-foot-long Narwhal with a tape measure and chalk. If you want to include it’s horn, you’ll need to add another 10 feet! Now lay down at one end of the narwhal and have a friend or parent mark your body length. How many of your body lengths it would take to equal the length of a Narwhal?  

Make a chart to compare narwhals and unicorns. How are they alike? How they are different? For example, they both have horns. But where is the unicorn’s horn, and where is the narwhal’s?

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 Blue Slip Media

Never too late for Ocean Science

If you missed your ocean-side vacation this summer, don’t despair. Today I’m sharing books and activities that will provide a perfect beach week feel! If you want to hear the gentle sound of waves on a beach while you read this post, click here.

Theme: oceans, animals, ecology

The Ocean Blue and You 

by Suzanne Slade; illus. by Stephanie Fizer Coleman 

32 pages; ages 5-8

Sleeping Bear Press, 2024    

Drip, drop raindrops plop. You’re cozy and snug inside Mama’s warm hug.

Sitting beneath an umbrella on a sandy shore, you listen to ocean waves swish and swoosh. And while you sleep, the creatures of the ocean are busy beneath the waves. Hungry sharks, elusive eels, stealthy stingrays go about their lives.

What I like about this book: The language is gentle and lyrical – so lyrical that it lulls you into exploring the underwater world before you realize that SCIENCE is happening! Readers visit deep waters, colorful coral reefs, and tidepools, meeting the plants and animals that live there. Tuck this book into your beach tote next time you go to the shore. And until then, why not think of it as a bath time read? Toss in a few plastic sea creatures, turn up the ocean sounds and take an indoor beach day. Oh, and I almost forgot: there is Back Matter! One last spread devoted to why exploring the ocean is so important.

Super Ocean Weekend: The Ultimate Underwater Adventure 

Written & illustrated by Gaëlle Alméras; translated by David Warriner

172 pages; ages 7-12

Greystone Kids, 2024    

This is the second book in the Science Adventure Club series, nonfiction books presented in “graphic novel” style. Friends, Castor and Squeak (a beaver and a rat) are camping on an island with Orni (platypus) and her cousin Echid (echidna). Fortunately, there’s a character introduction opposite the title page – and a table of contents so readers have a “map” of where they’re headed on this adventure.

There’s a lot of ocean science mixed throughout the adventures – and misadventures of island camping. Here are just a few of the things I like about this book: the plankton party; the tidepool discoveries; an entire chapter devoted to buoyancy; introductions to jellyfish, whales, and other creatures; and an adventure to the bottom of the ocean printed on dark pages and requiring the reader to turn the book for a long, vertical page for the deep, deep dive to the bottom of the sea! Back matter includes a quick guide to ocean creatures and shows four ways kids can be an ocean superhero.

Beyond the Books:

Grab a beach towel and lay it down in a sunny spot on the floor. Listen to ocean waves (here's another recording) while you try some ocean-inspired yoga poses. Be a whale! Or a jellyfish... you can find some poses on this page.

Draw a picture of your favorite ocean animal or plant. Yes, seaweed counts.

Try one of the ocean activities presented here.

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. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Books for the Beach

 If you’re heading to a beach – whether it’s the ocean or a lake or a towel by the backyard wading pool – you might want to take along some beach reading…

theme: ocean animals, animal behavior

Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic 

by Margaux Meganck 

40 pages; ages 3-6

‎Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2024  

Deep in a tide pool, too small to see, countless tiny specks go forth

These tiny specks are barnacle larva, tossed by waves and carried by currents until they find a spot to grow into a barnacle. They are part of the group of tiny edible things we call “plankton” and that fish and whales call “dinner.” 

What I like about this book: the text is lyrical and soothing, like the gently rocking of a boat at sea. I like the vivid watercolor illustrations (and the sweet expressions on the barnacle faces). I also like that the larvae are looking for a place to grow and thrive, just like us. I wish there had been a smidgeon of back matter so we could learn more about these amazing animals (barnacles are crustaceans) but even so, this book will leave children thinking about the smallest bits of life in the ocean.

Where Do Ocean Creatures Sleep at Night? 

by Steven J. Simmons & Clifford R. Simmons; illus. by Ruth E. Harper 

32 pages; ages 3-7

Charlesbridge, 2024  

Ocean creatures swim in their watery home…

But when their day is done, where do they sleep? Some burrow in the sand of the ocean floor, while others cling to corals or plants. Octopuses snuggle in their dens and otters snooze on their backs. Gentle rhymes and soft illustrations make this a perfect book to read during quiet time at the beach.

Beyond the Books:

Go on a barnacle search. You’ll find them attached to ropes, rocks, docks, and even mussels. Read more about barnacles at this Woods Hole page.

If you have the opportunity to spend part of the night at a beach, do it. What do you hear? What do you see? What do you smell? How does the air feel?

Check out some of these other books that are perfect “beach reads”

• How to Code a Sandcastle    
• Seashells: More Than A Home
• Look What I Found at the Beach
• The Tide Pool Waits

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers and Blue Slip Media (Speck).

The Den that Octopus Built

The Den That Octopus Built 

by Randi Sonenshine; illus. by Anne Hunter 

32 pages; ages 4-8

‎Candlewick, 2024

theme: ocean, octopus, homes

This is the ledge of sandstone and lime, 

layered with shells cemented by time, 

that shelters the den that Octopus built.

Octopuses build dens. Not only that, they decorate around the outside – sort of like creating a garden. (Wait… isn’t there a song about that?) This octopus also decorates herself with shells to keep safe from predators, and nurtures her eggs that she keeps safe in her den.

What I like love about this book: I love the way Randi Sonenshine works “cephalopod” into her verse. Because, if kids can toss out long words like brachiosaurus, then cephalopod should be a piece of cake. I also like the way that the end of the book is a new beginning. And I especially like the back matter, where Randi discusses why octopuses is right (not octopi) and tentacles are not. She also talks about octopus suckers, smarts, and their short (not-so-sweet) lives.

I loved this book so much that I just had to reach out and ask Randi a Couple of Questions:

Me: In your author notes you mention that you were inspired by Rita. 

Randi: Yes, I was very fortunate to get an up-close and personal meeting with Rita, the resident Giant Pacific Octopus, at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

meet Rita!

Me: What did you learn from her? and how did you learn it (I imagine observation, but...)

Randi: My encounter with Rita allowed me to experience a lot of what I learned in my research through all of my senses. I watched her incredible powers of transformation in action: she went from a pale smooth, pinkish-purple to a highly textured bright rusty-red as she swam up for our visit. Her texture and color became even more pronounced when I was feeding her and she was “feeling me out” for the first time. It's hard to describe what I felt and sensed during that first “handshake,” to be honest. Feeling her suckers, which were smooth and cool, but not clammy, while looking each other in the eye/eyes was mind-blowing! This sounds a bit corny, but otherworldly is the best way I can describe it. There was a definite sense of cognition on an almost-human level, like a mutual acknowledgement and understanding.  I could sense her intelligence, and that's not something I could have learned from all of my reading, watching, and interviewing. 

Randi shaking hands with Rita

Me: What else can you share about your research for this book?

Randi: I learned so much fascinating information in my research, that I begged for another two pages of back matter. Alas, I didn’t win that battle, but I was able to include a section on hard bottom/cold-water reefs and the need for conservation efforts. I became especially interested in this topic when I interviewed Dr. Danny Gleason, a professor and researcher at Georgia Southern University and Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, (which was the inspiration for the setting and illustrations by Anne Hunter). Cold water reefs aren’t formed from living corals like tropical reefs, but from sediments (sand, mud, and shell-fragments) impacted and cemented over time. That’s what inspired the first lines you quote.

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about octopuses. The best way is to meet one in person at an aquarium, but if you can’t do that, you can check out this video about octopuses.

Make an octopus from a paper plate, or a toilet paper tube. Check out ideas for papercraft octopuses here.

If you were an octopus, what sort of a den would you build? Draw a picture of what your octopus home would look like. I would probably build mine out of pillows and blankets so I could curl up and read a good book!

Randi is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. She’s written other books about animals that build: The Nest That Wren Built  and  The Lodge That Beaver Built. You can find out more about her at her website, www.randishonenshine.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.

An Ocean Adventure with Michelle Cusolito

 

A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone: Twenty-Four Days of Science at Sea 

by Michelle Cusolito 

144 pages; ages 10 & up

‎Charlesbridge, 2024

This is an adventure story! Author, Michelle Cusolito takes readers on a twenty-four day research expedition with scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Destination: the North Atlantic. 

The scientists aboard Research Vessel (R/V) Sarmiento de Gamboa want to learn more about the ocean twilight zone. It lies about half a mile below the surface and scientists know “more about the surface of the moon than they know about the twilight zone,” says Michelle. The scientists are trying to learn more about the biodiversity and food webs in this zone, and how carbon moves from Earth’s atmosphere to the surface of the ocean, down through the twilight zone and eventually to the sea’s floor. To do that, they’ll use sophisticated equipment to help them collect and analyze samples from the ocean.

Chapter by chapter, Michelle introduces the reader to the vessel and the crew. As they head out to sea, she introduces the scientific equipment and the kind of data the researchers hope to collect. Of course, they don’t depend totally on new tech – there’s plenty of old-school ways to collect information about the ocean as they travel.

In one chapter, Michelle focuses on the MOCHNESS – not a monster, but a sophisticated collecting and sensing system. The nets collect creatures from different depths: lanternfish, octopuses, and a diversity of bioluminescent creatures. The sensors collect information about water temperature, salinity, oxygen and light levels. Other chapter focuses on cutting edge technology employed via water sled and underwater robots.

And then there’s the adventures: storms at sea, glitches in hardware that require creative solutions to recover equipment. I like how Michelle ends the book with a discussion  of the future of ocean science. She also presents early findings from the research trip and provides tips for kids who want to study the ocean. And the end pages are maps- so you won’t get lost as you travel along with the crew.

This was such a wild adventure story that I had to ask Michelle a Few Questions ...

Me: Tell us one surprising thing you learned from your adventure at sea. 

image provided by author

Michelle: I learned that Life Savers candies are used in a surprising way in ocean research! Here’s what I wrote in the book (page 79): Weights are attached to one of the candy rings, which is attached to the MINION [an underwater robot]. When the MINION is lowered overboard and into the ocean, the water dissolves the candy. Once the candy ring breaks, the weights fall off and the MINION reaches neutral buoyancy in the twilight zone, which means it hovers at a desired depth rather than sinking deeper or rising back to the surface. Not all Life Savers are up to this task, however. The ones that dissolve at the correct rate are individually wrapped fruit or butter rum ones, which are larger than those in a roll.

 

Me: How did you come to be part of the expedition? And what was your role/job? 

Michelle: It’s rare for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to bring a children’s book author out on an expedition where berths are in high demand. I’ve built a strong working relationship with WHOI since I first connected with them while researching for my first book—Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin—nine years ago. I strongly believe in WHOI’s mission and do what I can to support it. Writing books that feature their research is one way to do that.

I had three jobs while at sea:

1. Researching for my book. This included conducting interviews, taking notes, and shooting lots of photos and videos;
2. Working with another science communicator on board—Marley Parker—to write daily blog posts about the expedition for WHOI; and
3. Assisting the scientists as needed.

Photo © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marley Parker

I generally worked 12-14+ hour days, just like everyone else. (It’s a 24/7 operation). I was on deck and in the lab with the scientists every day and during some overnight shifts. There were times when I’d go to bed at midnight and my alarm would go off at 3:00 am to go document the recovery of a piece of equipment. I’d be on deck working ten minutes later. (Except for the one time I was so exhausted that Marley couldn’t wake me!) 

I loved being in the action and assisting when needed. One of my favorite memories is from a day I helped process the animals brought up in the nets. I got to see creatures that most people will never see. The photo above is of me holding an Atolla Jelly from that day.

Me: A lot of your research was interviews and photos. How did you store your valuable information while at sea? 

Michelle: This expedition took place in May of 2021, so we had to quarantine in a hotel in Spain for two weeks before boarding the ship. While in quarantine, Marley and I conducted Zoom interviews with many of the scientists and engineers. This helped us get a head start on building our understanding of what we’d be observing. I took notes during the interviews, and we recorded them. I later transcribed those interviews. All of the work done in quarantine was backed up to the cloud because we had relatively good internet in the hotel. Once we got on the ship, it was a whole different ball game. 

We had a very poor internet connection on the ship. Marley and I struggled to email simple word documents and relatively small photos back to WHOI for our daily posts. We’d often have to send them late at night when most people were sleeping (and therefore, not using the internet).

On the ship, I took notes in regular old spiral notebooks - I used a total of four for this book! I had brought several pocket-sized notebooks (including a waterproof one) thinking I’d use them on deck, but I never did. There was no time for notetaking on deck. I’d do that as soon as I got back inside. 

I also kept a journal where I collaged and glued in memorabilia while in quarantine. I also recorded my personal feelings and thoughts, not necessarily intending to use them in the book, but a few bits did get in. (The sidebar on page 66-67 was pulled from my journal)

I also took thousands of photos and dozens of videos. I backed those up to an external drive.

Me: Thank you for taking us along on your ocean adventure, Michelle! 

Michelle is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website. 

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge’s blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

In this corner ... Climate Change

 

Animal Climate Heroes

by Alison Pearce Stevens; illus. by Jason Ford 

104 pages; ages 8-12

‎Godwin Books, 2024

Just as every story needs a hero, every hero needs a supervillain. In this book that supervillain is Climate Change. “It’s not a living, breathing supervillain,” writes Alison Pearce Stevens, “but it acts like one just the same.” Every year the effects of climate change worsen: record-breaking disasters; wilder wildfires; more severe storms bringing floods – or no rain at all.

It’s time to call in the superheroes! And just who might these heroes be? You could be one. Your voice and actions are your superpowers. But you – and your human friends – are not alone. There are already superheroes out in the wild working to help keep our climate in check. They are the great whales, sea otters, forest elephants, and echidnas, each a hero in their own way. 

They aren’t the only climate heroes in nature. Indeed, there’s a whole bunch of unsung climate-fighters, from algae to trees. But these four are the ones Alison focuses on because of the impact they have on maintaining carbon balance on our planet. Each animal superhero gets its own chapter that details how it captures carbon through its life cycle. There’s also a section in each chapter that shows how we humans can help these animal heroes.

At the end there’s a section on how you can be a climate hero, with practical actions kids – and other humans – can take. They range from the simple (turning off lights and electronics not in use) to those that take more planning, such as planting gardens and trees. The book is illustrated throughout with cartoon drawings, which help keep the Superhero Vibe going.

I wanted to know more about how Alison came up with her idea, so I asked her a question:

photos: Images for a Lifetime

Me: How did you come to the idea of casting climate change as the supervillain instead of, say, fossil fuel corporations? And by doing that, how did it structure the story you wanted to tell?

Alison: Interesting question. No one has asked that before! I honestly never considered casting the fossil fuel empire as the villain, so your question really made me stop to consider why not. It comes down to the spark behind the idea for the book—I heard someone say their favorite fact was that sea otters help fight climate change. Right off the bat, that set up the clash as it’s described in Animal Climate Heroes—animals taking on climate change, itself. As for structure, I initially set it up like a boxing match, with the opponents in opposite corners of the ring, but it morphed into a superhero book during the writing process.

I really don’t know that I could have recast the supervillain as anything else, because animals can’t fight the fossil fuel empire. There simply isn’t a direct interaction there, at least not in a way that animals can have any kind of impact. They can and do, however, help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps us fight climate change. These animals (and others) really are superheroes, and we need to protect them—and other natural spaces—if we want to keep our planet from warming too much.

Thanks, Alison. Alison is a science writer and award-winning children’s author who is also a member of STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.

How the Sea Came to Be

I’m always on the lookout for good books that show evolution of life on our planet. I can’t believe I missed this one when it came out last spring – but I got a copy last month and I’m glad I did. It’s lovely! Just look at the gorgeous cover art ...

How the Sea Came to Be (And All the Creatures In It)  

by Jennifer Berne; illus. by Amanda Hall 

56 pages; ages 6-10

‎Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023

theme: ocean, marine animals, evolution

Billions and billions of years long ago,

when the Earth was young and new,

the world was so hot, rock melted and boiled,

and fiery, wild winds blew.

The birth of our planet was hot and sizzly. Volcanoes exploded. Asteroids crashed from the sky. But over time our planet began to cool. Rains washed into low spots, filling oceans and creating habitat ripe for emerging life. Simple organisms paved the way for ribbed and frilled creatures, spongy clusters clinging to rock, worms, trilobites … eventually fish.

What I like love about this book: I love the language in this book! So many verbs. The young Earth sizzles, simmers, bubbles and burbles. As it cools, the crust heaves and puckers, wrinkles and bulges. I love that you have to turn the book, at one point, to get a vertical view of the deep, deep sea. The lyrical language introduces young readers (and listeners) to geology, oceanography, marine biology, and the diversity of life that has inhabited the seas over four and a half billion years.

And there is Back Matter! We are still discovering, still learning, says Jennifer Berne in her author’s note. Gate-folds open to show more about ocean creatures through time. There’s a glossary of key terms and concepts, and lots of resources: books, videos, webpages, museums and aquariums. This book is a tremendous resource for any classroom – and guaranteed to ignite the imagination of any child interested in the ocean.

Beyond the Books:

Visit a museum and look at the displays of fossils of ancient sea life. My favorites are trilobites!

Check out this video of Trilobites (here). Remember when I said trilobites are my faves?

Write or draw a story about exploring the ocean and some ancient creatures you find.

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. Since this book also appeals to older readers, look for us on Monday over at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.