Beneath the Waves by Helen Ahpornsiri, Lily Murray
ISBN: 1536210404
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

This book is simply stunning. The artwork makes the book, no question. Illustrated by Helen Ahpornsiri, each image is a collage of pressed, dried seaweed and flowers. The text of the book is a very general overview of different parts of the ocean. Broken into four main sections: coast, open ocean, tropics, and polar waters, each section has 7-8 pages with a different topic from within that section. It is very much a skimming the surface of the science situation, and it really just presents a handful of interesting facts about specific oceanic creatures.

This was a difficult book to review because the illustrations are so gorgeous, but the setup of the book seems misaligned with the intended audience. Kids will definitely learn things by reading this book, and the illustrations may entice them to read it when they otherwise wouldn’t. It could be a good launching point for further research as well. The information presented is appropriate for readers as young as 6 or 7, but the text size and varying fonts doesn’t lend itself to beginning readers. I’d recommend this book to kids aged 7 and up who have a general interest in science, the ocean, or art.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME