Sea Critters - Hardcover

Dr. Sylvia A. Earle is a marine biologist, author, lecturer, ocean explorer, and a National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence since 1998. Dr. Earle is a foremost leader in her field. She has a B.S. from Florida State University and a Ph.D. from Duke University. She has published several books with National Geographic and has written extensively for National Geographic. Dr. Earle lives in Oakland, California.

Grade 1-4-A lovely, browsable introduction to some of the groupings of animals that live in the ocean. It employs a double-page format with a full-color photograph of one or more representatives facing a page of explanatory text and full-color drawings. The groupings describe key elements that clarify the relationships. For example, jellyfish, corals, and anemones are grouped together as "The Stingers." The casual language used throughout the narrative creates a sense of informality, e.g., "Some [squid]-can signal pals-." Unfortunately, there is no pronunciation help provided for many of the terms used. This is particularly frustrating in the jellyfish entry as Cnidaria sounds completely different from the way it looks. The photographs throughout are stunning and engaging, from the explosion of shades of yellow of the gold cup coral and the brilliant burgundy of the frilly Christmas-tree worms, to the in-your-face close-up of the hermit crab.
Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
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