The introduction, explaining what you will find in the book, does end on a slightly odd note, explaining why the ocean appears blue. However, the rest of the book is well-organized. It covers the ocean in its broadest sense, spanning the globe, discussing legends like mermaids and kraken, and then covers the zones. The sunlight zone, twilight zone, midnight zone, abyss, and hadal zone all show a representative range of creatures in brightly colored, minimalist illustrations, with an overview as well as interesting facts.
The book moves on to other ocean features, introducing marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, kelp forests, and the polar seas. Each includes a variety of sea life and facts about the unique aspects of each place. The next section features marine life, starting with a detailed food cycle and general organization of species (arthropods, flatworms, cnidaria, molluscs, chordata, and plants). The authors focus in on more popular classes of animals and interesting facts - large animals like sharks, squid and whales and how certain marine animals cooperate in cleaning stations or in various symbiotic relationships. A frank but not graphic discussion of interesting facts about various mating and parenting discussions, sound and communication, camouflage, and migration finish the general information area of the book.
The last few pages are dedicated to the explanation of the many issues faced by the ocean, including over-fishing, pollution (especially of plastics), and climate change. There are several pages of "How to protect the ocean" and this is really my only critique of the book that they trot out either cliche suggestions or those that young readers are unlikely to have much, if any, control over. They suggest sustainable tourist, adopting animals, careful selection of seafood at the grocery store, planting trees, and choosing eco-friendly options for cleaning and personal hygiene. While a kid could, theoretically, make discussions, it's unlikely that they will have any real power over these areas. In addition, most of my population shops at Walmart and eco-friendly options are a luxury. Some of the suggestions, like not using straws and plastics and recycling may or may not have an impact and, of course, no mention is made of disabled people who actually need many of these things. The suggestion for kids to share what they've learned, volunteer for beach clean-up if they live near the ocean, and be respectful of nature are better options for the age likely to be reading this book.
A final page shows the location of many of the species discussed and then there is a detailed glossary and index. No sources are listed.
Verdict: Despite the lackluster suggestions at the back, which are pretty common for this type of book, the bright illustrations and detailed information are sure to make this a popular browsing choice. The font is fairly small and the text is dense, so it will likely only appeal to fluent readers since the art, while attractive, is not very interesting on its own without the text. If you have a lot of bright readers who like learning facts, this is a good choice.
ISBN: 9781999968076; Published April 2019 by What On Earth Books (UK); Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library
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