Review by New York Times Review
The latest in Raschka's ingenious "Thingy Things" books - mini-homages to toddler logic - introduces Clammy Clam: a black outline and a few strategic peach and yellow brush strokes. "Say hello, Clammy Clam," the narrator says. No dice; this mollusk stays clamped shut, even after a few entreaties and a sharp "Clammy Clam!" Like many a flummoxed parent, the narrator cries uncle, and the book ends where it started, with a resigned and suddenly funny "This is Clammy Clam." SECRETS OF THE SEASHORE By Carron Brown. Illustrated by Alyssa Nassner. 36 pp. Kane Miller. $12.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 6) Only the fanatically gimmick-averse would turn up their noses at the Shine-a-Light series, simply illustrated, reassuringly un-garish picture books that require a child to use a flashlight to see the full details. This one features marine life that's conspicuous, like a whelk lounging by a tide pool, along with some that's out of sight: A beam of light puts three wriggly shrimp in the water. Turn each page and the "hidden" creatures are visible in a black-and-white drawing. THE GREEN SEA TURTLE Written and illustrated by Isabel Müller. 32 pp. NorthSouth. $18.95. (Picture book; ages 5 to 9) Often five feet long and over 200 pounds, green sea turtles have been around since the dinosaurs, and this account of one female's journeys captures the mystery and grace embedded in their long, slow, solitary lives. Our heroine swims from Australia far out to sea, then back home 20 years later. The book is as lovely to look at as it is informative, with poised drawings in a green-gold palette, a brief look at six other kinds of sea turtles and an explanation of how the species has become endangered. NEIGHBORHOOD SHARKS: Hunting With the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands Written and illustrated by Katherine Roy. 40 pp. David Macaulay Studio/Roaring Brook. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 6 to 10) With so many sharks of the tech-boom variety circling San Francisco these days, it's easy to look past the great whites that return to the city's shores every fall, hunting incessantly for prey. Roy's appropriately amped-up narration scrutinizes every part of the shark's killing-optimized body, then roams the central California coast, exploring the ecosystem in which they top the food chain. Some brave scientists make a cameo, luring the sharks to the surface to photograph and tag them. The book's watercolor illustrations jump out with a fierce beauty; there's plenty of blood in the water, of course. A KING SALMON JOURNEY By Debbie S. Miller and John H. Eiler. Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. 42 pp. University of Alaska. $12.95. (Picture book; ages 6 to 10) Their arduous migrations across the open sea, their return to spawn in the freshwater streams of their own birth: Salmon are among the most fascinating fish. Miller and Eiler follow one salmon on her trek, offering thought-provoking glimpses of both the fish's biology and its important place in the cultures of Alaska and northwestern Canada as she passes by village salmon harvests and family fishing camps. She even slides down a chute and is counted at a salmon research center. ONLINE A slide show of this week's illustrated books at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 2, 2014]
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The story of one sea turtle's life, beginning with her emergence from an egg in the sand of Raine Island, off the coast of Australia, unfolds in spare drawings integrated with torn-paper compositions. In quiet prose, German author-illustrator Müller describes the sea turtle's undersea wanderings; other creatures that the sea turtle encounters, such as the dugong and porcupinefish; and her eventual return to the beach to lay her own eggs: Then she returns to the sea, leaving the eggs to the warmth of the sun and the protection of the sand. In about six weeks, the baby turtles will hatch. Several pages of extensive endnotes about the seven varieties of sea turtles round out this simple, compelling portrait of an endangered species. Ages 4--8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-This informational picture book follows the journey of a green sea turtle, starting when she hatches from an egg to her life in the ocean to her return years later to Raine Island to lay eggs of her own. From the opening scene of an eye peering out of an egg, readers are pulled into this story that blends facts smoothly. Children will enjoy spotting the sea turtle as she moves from page to page. Muller has created a tranquil, inviting world using detailed pencil drawings set against simple backgrounds of torn textured paper, and a gentle, rhythmic tone. Captioned images identify the sea life gracing every page, and several pages of supplementary information appear after the story's close, including individual depictions of the seven different kinds of sea turtles and brief description of their habitats, sizes, and other characteristics. The book also explains how this endangered species faces threats to its habitats and well-being from the environment as well as from humans, due to pollution, fishing nets, and poaching. A lovely tale that conveys a wealth of intriguing material on sea turtles.- June Shimonishi, Torrance Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A green sea turtle travels thousands of miles over twenty years before returning to her birthplace off the northeastern coast of Australia to lay eggs. Clear mixed-media illustrations show the turtle's underwater habitat; the straightforward text discusses behavior, diet, and life cycle. Fish, seaweed, octopus, dugongs, and other marine life are well labeled. Back matter includes information about turtle species worldwide. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
