Little Kids First Big Book of the Ocean (Little Kids First Big Books)

Substantial but never heavy, this is likely to float to the top of any young naturalist's reading list. 

This addition to the First Big series, which introduces wild animals and scientific concepts, focuses on ocean habitats. Large type, crisp photographs of animals in action, informative sidebars and bursts, and interactive prompts all help young readers easily follow along. Each of the four chapters is devoted to one of the world's oceans; a half dozen to a dozen animals are spotlighted within each chapter, including Pacific orcas and the giant oceanic manta ray of the Indian Ocean, among many others. Throughout, the straightforward text underscores the idea of the ocean's diversity: "There are about 5,000 species of sponges. They come in many shapes, colors, and sizes." With subjects ranging from perennial favorites like dolphins to critical links along the ocean food chain such as Antarctic krill, Hughes delivers a solid resource to add to a child's learning library. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 3--This introduction to representative marine species is arranged by the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Arctic Oceans. A fact box for each animal briefly describes its home, size, and food; the sounds it makes; and how many babies it has each year. The vocabulary contains different reading levels, ranging from "phytoplankton," "zooplankton," and "crustaceans" to "pod," "kelp," and "prey." The animals' sizes are never expressed numerically, but only as interesting comparisons, such as "long as a man's foot" (coral) or "about as long as a Chihuahua, a little dog" (Atlantic puffin). Close-up, full-color photographs illustrate each species, and childlike curvy arrows point out important features--a fin (of a great white shark), baby beluga in the Arctic Ocean, and "cleaner station" for manta rays in the Indian Ocean. The narrative includes a summary of "10 Cool Things To Remember About The Ocean!" (#5 "Everything that lives on Earth including you, depends on THE OCEAN"); two pages of parent tips (crafts and activities to reinforce the leaning process); and a map that lists the animals described in each region. This colorful text will be fun and interesting for browsers and casual learners alike.--Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

What a fun book this is for young readers...Some of the animals will be quite familiar, others less so, but all of them will be popular reads.

"A delightful, age-appropriate introduction to ocean creatures big and small." -Children's Book Council 

"Vivid, high quality photographs accompany the descriptions of animals, and questions encourage readers to make connections between their experiences and the text." —Library Media Connection