How the Sea Came to Be

By Jennifer Berne, Amanda Hall (illustrator),

Book cover of How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures in It

Book description

The New York Public Library Best Books for Kids List (2023)

A lyrical, spectacular history of the ocean—from its dramatic evolutionary past to its marvelously biodiverse present.

“For millions of years these first bits of life
Became more, and then more, and then more.”

Long, long ago, when the Earth…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked How the Sea Came to Be as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

How the Sea Came to Be is a magical book. I love the lyrical language in verse that tells the story of the creation of the ocean and sea life, tracing billions of years of ocean history from its evolutionary past to its biodiverse present. I love the beautiful illustrations and all the extra information about sea life in the back of the book.

The book captured my imagination, and I am sure it will do the same for readers of all ages.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and believe young readers will, too!

It traces billions of years of ocean history from “when the Earth was young and new…so hot, rock melted and boiled,” through millennia of marvelous creatures, to the present day with children exploring the shore. In eminently readable rhyme, it conveys an impressive amount of information in an interesting and accessible way.

One of the best parts of the books is in the back: an ingeniously illustrated timeline. Illustrations are dynamic and dramatic, some literally exploding with color and action. They are a joy to look at and will…

From Charlotte's list on exploring the ocean for children.

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