The Big Book of the Blue (Big Book)

by Yuval Zommer (Author)

The Big Book of the Blue (Big Book)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Big Book

Following the wild success of The Big Book of Bugs and The Big Book of Beasts, The Big Book of the Blue is the third installment in Yuval Zommer's beloved series. Alongside everything the young oceanographer needs to know, Zommer's charming illustrations bring to life some of the slipperiest, scaliest, strangest, and most monstrous underwater animals.

The book opens by explaining how different types of animals are able to breathe and survive underwater, and the different families to which they belong. Subsequent pages are dedicated to specific creatures, including sea turtles, whales, sharks, stingrays, and seahorses, and show varied life in specific habitats, such as a coral reef or deep sea bed. The Big Book of the Blue also explores the underwater world thematically, looking at animals in danger, learning how to spot creatures at the beach, and discovering how to do our part to save sea life. Beautiful and filled with fascinating facts, young, curious readers won't be able to tear their eyes away from the page.

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$19.95

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Publishers Weekly

This third title in the Big Book series focuses on ocean biodiversity. Opening spreads discuss sea animal families, sea creature locomotion, and how aquatic species breathe, followed by spreads devoted to specific animals. Zommer's illustrations are more whimsical than naturalistic--creatures peer at one another with expressive, close-set eyes--but fun, accompanying captions provide factual insights: "a tuna has a super streamlined body which helps it to glide through the water." Though Zommer doesn't give readers much geographical sense of different ocean regions, the scenes feature tonal shifts in water color, from pale, tropical blues to the "inky darkness" that is the domain of anglerfish, blobfish, and gulper eels; the portrait layout also enhances the sense of ocean depth. Zommer introduces a seek-and-find element ("Can you find... exactly the same sardine 15 times in this book?"), which will lead readers to discover additional facts and surprises within the teeming underwater scenes. Ages 4-up. (June)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5--This cerulean-filled work is overflowing with oceanographic details and information. Readers can learn about 20 different sea creatures from the well-known octopus to the lesser-known dragonet. The book also includes general information on sea animals as well as basic conservation. There are plenty of facts, but the narrative remains at the surface level on most subjects. The whimsical illustrations create an aura of a busy ocean and will give readers a lot to discover on every page. Zommer has even included a few hide-and-seek puzzles throughout. Instead of a glossary, there is a page of "fishy phrases" where readers can learn about a few specific words or phrases that relate to ocean life. However, these words aren't highlighted in any way in the actual text. VERDICT This is not an ideal book for research, but purchase where browsable ocean-focused volumes are in demand.--V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary School, Raleigh, NC

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

A refreshing dive past some of our world's marine wonders.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780500651193
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Thames & Hudson
Publication date
June 05, 2018
Series
Big Book
BISAC categories
JNF051080 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Earth Sciences - General
JNF051100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Environmental Science & Ecosystems
JNF003150 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Marine Life
Library of Congress categories
Marine animals
Ocean
Marine habitats

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