Hirschi, Ron, illustrated by Kirsten Carlson. 2007. Ocean Seasons. Abordale Publishing, Mount Pleasant, SC, USA, ISBN 9781607188636, 32 pp., $9.95, PBKurtz, Kevin, illustrated by ConsiePowell. 2007. A Day in the Salt Marsh. Abordale Publishing, Mount Pleasant, SC, USA, ISBN 9781934359198, 32 pp., $9.95, PBPrager, Ellen, illustrated by ShennenBersani. 2014. Sea Slime It's Eeuwy, Gooey and Under the Sea. Abordale Publishing,

Abstract

Speaking as a former kid (and current kid-at-heart), I can enthusiastically recommend Arbordale Publishing's “Ocean Seasons,” “A Day in the Salt Marsh,” and “Sea Slime: It's Eeuwy, Gooey, and Under the Sea” to all future marine scientists. A strength these books share is the science that underlies the story. All three books were either written or vetted by researchers, and this shows in their focus on presenting the science accurately. I liked that extra information and activities were included at the end of each book; this could be big help if parents or educators want to deepen a curious child's understanding of a book's subject matter. For example, “Sea Slime,” which was written by Ellen Prager and illustrated by Shennen Bersani, is specifically promoted as being aligned with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards for grades K-3. This could make it attractive to teachers and other educators. “Sea Slime” is about the many ways slime is used by marine creatures (“slime” being a catchall term for biologically synthesized goo) and draws attention to a lot of underappreciated marine organisms such as sea slugs, pteropods, and vampire squid. The promise of slime will definitely get kids interested, but I thought that its focus on meeting specific educational criteria came at the expense of “Sea Slime's” storytelling; at times the book read more like a textbook than a bedtime story. “Sea Slime” is perfect for a slightly older student or science enthusiast, but may fail to compel younger kids who want their science to come with a story. A good book for younger kids (or the slime-averse) might be “A Day in the Salt Marsh” by Kevin Kurtz and illustrated by Consie Powell. Reading it definitely made me wants to go and explore my nearest salt marsh, and I think a lot of kids will feel this way too! The short, rhyming verses on each page describe the progression of a day in the marsh, mainly through the activities of different creatures living there. The idea of describing a different hour of a salt marsh day on each page ties the book together and is a good way of demonstrating the effects that environmental factors such as tides have on the lives of these creatures. Definitely a good book for younger readers, and it'll make you want to go look for some salt marsh critters yourself! “Ocean Seasons,” written by Ron Hirschi and illustrated by Kirsten Carlson, lies in between “Sea Slime” and “A Day in the Salt Marsh” in terms of difficulty. The main message of the book is really original, and something I'm guessing most children (and probably most adults) haven't given much thought to: the idea that oceans have distinct seasons, just like terrestrial environments. A wide variety of organisms—from plankton and kelp to otters and orca whales (mostly creatures from the Pacific Northwest), are enlisted to illustrate the ocean's seasons. The original idea of showing what happens during the ocean's seasons is interesting and well-executed, and sure to get kids started thinking about other ways seasons show up in the world around us. Any of these books would be a great holiday or birthday gift for the future marine scientist in your life. Educators and homeschooling parents would also find these titles, with their combination of engaging artwork and science-based stories, perfect for use in the classroom. Kelsey Ellis, ASLO Science Communications Intern, 10410 Kensington Parkway, Kensington, MD 20895, USA; kels.a.ellis@gmail.com