Review by Booklist Review
A Spanish galleon is "swished . . . and swayed . . . and SWAMPED!" by a storm--but that's just the beginning! This cheerful tale describes how the sunken hull supports the growth of a new reef over the next century and beyond. Simple, charming illustrations show sea life moving in as the ship settles and decomposes. Readers will enjoy the silly puns and speech-bubble asides offered by the new reef dwellers. The text provides clear, basic information while including dashes of alliteration ("Gribbles gobbled into the mighty masts") that result in a merry read-aloud, as well as smoothly including vocabulary and specific animals such as lightning wrasses, coral larvae, and coral polyps. Though similar in topic to Life after Whale, by Lynn Brunelle (about ecosystems thriving after a whale dies) and Great Carrier Reef, by Jessica Stremer (about an intentionally created artificial reef), this is aimed at a younger audience and offers a friendly, accessible launching point for budding environmentalists and oceanographers. Back matter provides a bibliography and more information about artificial reefs.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
In 1733 a hurricane wrecks a Spanish galleon, which then sinks to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and begins to serve as an artificial reef. Hevron's account of the transformation from shipwreck to coral reef steps across the years, decades, and centuries to the present day. In "year 1," the ship is food, shelter, and a sturdy resting place for organisms with entertaining names such as piddocks, gribbles, and sea lettuce and to the coral larvae that begin to multiply. By "year 10" the ship has become an "underwater nursery" for blue tangs, damselfish, and lobsters, while the coral continues to grow. Numerous aquatic species continue to proliferate over the centuries, as the ship itself decomposes and disappears into the sand. Hevron's textured wood-grain digital collages are a natural choice to represent not only the wooden ship but also the movements of ocean currents and the swirling sands of the sea floor. In the foreground, the colorful animals that compose the "rainbow of reef life" take on human expressions with their cartoonlike eyes and add humor with jokes in speech bubbles. End notes explain more about artificial reefs and provide additional sources and resources. Danielle J. FordSeptember/October 2024 p.100 (c) Copyright 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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A treasure ship yields its riches--a teeming underwater world. The ship sailed across the Caribbean in 1733 before sinking in a storm. Fortunately, the crew escaped. In the aftermath, the sunken galleon's remains burgeoned with astonishing varieties of sea life and vegetation, all identified here. New generations blossomed over time. Who could have imagined that every part of a downed ship could nourish, sustain, and shelter new life? The ship's remains enriched the seafloor, too, as it "decomposed in the shifting sands," eventually erupting in "a rainbow of reef life." Over time, the ship became an artificial reef, a "coral-reef treasure trove." While the ship may have met a tragic end, the ultimate outcome is "a safe harbor for all." In the author's note, Hevron states that she was inspired by the sinking of the San Pedro and explains that sunken ships actually benefit the planet. With brief yet lyrical text and breezily humorous but informative dialogue, this treasure of a book will help young readers comprehend fascinating facts and salient concepts. Hevron indicates the passing of time, periodically noting the year up to the "present day." The gorgeous illustrations, created with acrylic, marker, and pencil, then digitally collaged, bring the undersea environment and its denizens to vivid, breathtaking life. A simple diagram of the ship's components graces the title page. A captivating exploration of a wonder-filled domain most of us can only imagine. (additional reading, selected sources) (Informational picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
