Take a tour of the ocean with a friendly turtle as your guide.
At the start of the book, the reader is introduced to a turtle character who invites them to explore the world’s oceans. The turtle can be found on every page, which makes a fun spotting game – sometimes it is easier to find him than others.
The book begins with an explanation about how the oceans were formed. One of the exciting things about the book is that it doesn’t skip over the physics. It answers questions the reader may have about why waves exist, and how currents are formed, and what the moon’s gravity has to do with tides. Other topics in the book include:
- An introduction to the five oceans of the world
- An exploration of ocean habitats
- Some exciting trivia about ocean journeys and spooky seas
- A look at the impact human behaviour is having on our oceans
The topics are divided into neat sections and a contents page at the start of the book enables the reader to find what they are looking for without too much effort. My favourite section is the one on ocean habitats. It is lovely to see estuaries and salt marshes explored in their own rights – often books simply explain the connection between estuaries and seas. There are also brilliant spreads on coral reefs, mangroves, kelp forests and seagrass meadows. They include suggestions of things to do and look out for when visiting those habitats, which will encourage young readers to get outside and explore.
The artwork throughout this book is sublime. There is just the right balance between spreads that centre around maps and diagrams, and engaging, arty spreads that really do give the reader that turtle’s eye view of the fishes and corals and kelp that can be found beneath the ocean’s surface. I’m particularly impressed by how the movement of the water is illustrated, and how one habitat is made so different from another.
A Turtle’s View Of The Ocean Blue is informative and exciting. It is pitched perfectly to primary-aged children and there is plenty to keep readers hooked. A brilliant introduction to the oceans.
- A Turtle’s View Of The Ocean Blue is available now from Laurence King Publishing. RRP. £14.99 (Provided for review)
