I’ve always been an animal lover who's also interested in what makes different creatures tick: how they’ve evolved as living beings, where and how they exist, and what role any given one plays in our world at large. I also find bodies of water calming to gaze at, fun to splash in and sail on, and it’s intriguing to study them as ecosystems. Each type—from small transient sidewalk puddles to vast enduring seas—can support some form of animal life under the right circumstances. And, for me, the fact that we humans spend most of our time experiencing life on land makes marine life that much more mysterious and magical to learn and write about.
One look at the cover of this visually stunning, expertly crafted nonfiction picture book sparks the notion that the elusive giant squid has much more to teach us than what meets the eye.
Next, this opening line from the prologue plunges the reader into the squid’s mysterious world so the rest of the book can fulfill the cover’s promise:
"Down,
down
in the depths
of the sunless sea,
deep,
deep
in the cold,
cold dark,
creatures,
strange
and fearsome,
lurk."
I was hooked from the get-go, and I know Fleming and Rohmann’s innovative pairing of poetic expository text with darkly arresting illustrations—with every word and brushstroke remaining faithful to the facts—will engage any reader lucky enough to pick up this book.
The giant squid is one of the most elusive creatures in the world. As large as whales, they hide beyond reach deep within the sea, forcing scientists to piece together their story from those clues they leave behind.
An injured whale's ring-shaped scars indicate an encounter with a giant squid. A piece of beak broken off in the whale's belly; a flash of ink dispersed as a blinding defense to allow the squid to escape-- these fragments of proof were all we had . . . until a giant squid was finally filmed in its natural habitat only two years…
I love a good photo-essay, and this one for ages 10+ examines the declining seahorse population and what one conservationist group has done to try to reverse that trend in The Philippines.
Eye-popping photography draws readers in, inviting them to witness the charming seahorse’s life, habitat, and precarious circumstances; to watch scuba-diving scientists collect crucial research; and to understand efforts to educate children and communities about aquacultural practices that help protect seahorses and their underwater environment.
Seahorses, some of the ocean’s most charming fish, are in trouble. In the past twenty years their populations has declined. They are threatened by overfishing, pollution and climate change. In Handumon in the Philippines, villagers and conservationists have joined to protect the seahorse and the coral reefs where they live. Amanda Vincent and Heather Koldewey, founders of Project Seahorse, work with Filipino colleagues and local fishers like “Digoy” Paden to protect seahorses and the livelihood of local fishing families. Through their efforts the Handumon Marine Protected Area is now a model “underwater park” where marine life is safe from fishing.
This standout picture book biography shows how environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer’s lifelong love of the ocean eventually led to his quest to help save and restore the beautiful coral reefs of his native Florida and beyond.
Along the way, Messner’s gentle narrative reinforces the notion that all great efforts start with just one life, one moment, one idea, one step forward. And Forsythe’s equally gentle illustrations softly illuminate the worlds both above and below water.
The Brilliant Deep is the proud recipient of the ALA Notable Children's Books Award, the NSTA-CBC Best STEM Trade Books Award, the Junior Library Guild Selection and the ILA Teacher's Choices.
All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person to make a difference in the world, one idea to help us heal the earth. The ongoing conservation efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs-with hammer and glue, and grafts of newly grown coral-are the living legacy of environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation.
This adorable story revolves around Shawn, whose love for the majestic shark is so strong that he revels in learning all the things about its life and function in the sea.
When it’s time for his class to draw predator names for a project assignment, Shawn is devastated to wind up with the Leopard Seal instead of the Great White Shark that Stacy drew. Tensions flare between the two when Stacy refuses to trade predators.
The rest of the story unfolds as Shawn slowly realizes he can love sharks andseals, and that a really great thing about humans—like Stacy and him—is that they can figure out how to become friends with each other.
Shawn loves everything about sharks. He loves their dark, blank eyes and the way they can grab something tasty like a seal in just one bite. He loves sharks so much it's really all he thinks about, until Monday.
On Monday, Ms. Mitchell tells the class they may each pick one predator's name out of a bowl, and that is the animal they will learn about. Shawn wants to pick sharks so badly he almost falls out of his chair. But Shawn does not pick sharks.
This lyrical nonfiction picture book takes readers on a mesmerizing, sometimes dramatic, and almost deceptively informative exploration of a tide pool’s inner workings at the ocean’s edge.
Fleming’s virtuosic text (complete with significant backmatter) is gorgeously enhanced by Hevron’s layered artwork, and while the book works perfectly as intended for very young children, it’s also a special treat for more skilled readers to read and revisit.
Dive into the rich ecology of tide pools and watch a hidden world spring in this masterful nonfiction picture book for very young readers.
Twice a day when the tide goes out, an astonishing world is revealed in the tide pools that form along the Pacific Coast.
Some of the creatures that live here look like stone. Others look like plants. Some move so slowly it’s hard to tell if they’re moving at all, while others are so fast you’re not sure you really saw them. The biggest animals in the pool are smaller than your hand, while the smallest…
Every living thing has a uniquely fascinating life cycle, including the bright-and-beautiful clown fish. Did you know, for example, that all clown fish are born male, and that some adult males later become female in order to reproduce? That’s just one of the cool things children (or anyone!) will learn about clown fish in this STEM picture book specifically geared toward emergent readers. Captivating photographs support the information-richtext to provide a deeper understanding of the clown fish's distinctive traits, behaviors, habitat, and relationships with other sea life.
Traveling through Ireland, everyone notices the low stone walls separating fields, but occasionally much larger stones rising from the green like giant cogs on a wheel—mystical standing stone circles. One in particular—Beltany in Co. Donegal—became the inspiration for my Circle of Nine series, which is a mix of Celtic mythology, pagan ritual, and magic set within alternating historical and modern storylines. It’s no wonder that the books I most like to read are also the same kind I write. There’s nothing better than picking up a new book and immersing myself in these worlds with their rich magical systems, historical details, suspenseful plots, and often a good dose of romance.
"A haunting YA mystery. Touching on everything from police ineptitude and community solidarity to the endless frustration of being patronized as a young person, this paranormal thriller confidently combines timely and relatable themes within a page-turning storyline." - Self-Publishing Review
"Biel's writing is fast-paced and sharp!" - author Christy Wopat
When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s…
Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter
“This taut, suspenseful mystery goes beyond the cemetery gate and settles, creaking, into our very bones.” – Silvia Acevedo, author of the award-winning God Awful series.
When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s life as a cemetery caretaker masked a web of family secrets that quite possibly led to his death—and are now putting her in mortal…
