Explore the Salish Sea

March 1, 2018

Gr 3-5-An adapted version of the authors' adult title The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest for younger readers. The photography is the main draw here: arresting images of wolf eels, blood stars, a Puget Sound king crab, and more are accompanied by informative captions. The text, however, leaves something to be desired. The narrative occasionally addresses readers in the second person and some of the more complex scientific concepts are not adequately explained. For example, the text states that phytoplankton in the ocean use energy from the sun for photosynthesis and is emphatic that a high percentage of Earth's oxygen comes from the ocean. It does not explain that the oxygen is produced by the phytoplankton and not by the water. Save for the index, the lack of back matter make this of little value to students. Vocabulary words are italicized and defined in the text. VERDICT Libraries near the Salish sea may want to consider as an introductory guide.-Eldon Younce, Anthony Public Library, KS

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