These Seas Count!

February 25, 2013
The children in Mr. Tate’s class take a field trip to clean up beach litter in this companion to This Tree Counts! and These Bees Count! This civic-minded activity also gives the kids a chance to learn about ocean habitats and the importance of conservation—with a number lesson to boot. As the children listen to the sea’s story, it delivers a gentle counting song: “Three mighty marlins glide across my waves./ Four sea horses gallop in a saltwater rodeo.” Snow’s digital collages call to mind torn-paper collage, as the class collects garbage and knowledgeable Captain Ned teaches them about pollution. Formento once again underlines the value of the learning that takes place outside the classroom. Author’s agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Libby Snow, Artist Representative. Ages 4–7.

February 1, 2013
When Mr. Tate's class helps with beach cleanup, they learn about the importance of the ocean and listen to a tally of sea creatures, from one to 10. A friendly sea captain meets the group on a trash-strewn shore and encourages them to listen to the sad sea. From one whale breaching to 10 dolphins leaping, the sea introduces some of its inhabitants. This counting exercise, appropriate for very young readers, is followed by an explanation of why oceans matter, including the role of phytoplankton in the food chain and atmosphere and a poem about the water cycle. (Happily for tots in over their heads, the successful beach cleanup is followed by a boat trip.) This well-meant but muddled picture book seems to be addressing two different audiences: preschoolers who might enjoy the counting exercise (and not be bothered by sea turtles who "surf" through kelp or slow-moving seahorses who "gallop"); and elementary school-aged children ready for more complicated explanations and for the sad reality of oil and sewage spills and dead animals. Snow's digital collages effectively show how out of place human trash is on a sandy beach. The story pattern will be familiar to readers of this pair's earlier environmental field-trip descriptions of trees and bees. The information is important, but the presentation is depressing. (Picture book. 4-8)

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March 1, 2013

K-Gr 2-The children in Mr. Tate's class join Captain Ned for a Beach Clean-up Day. Sadly, the shoreline and surf are littered with debris. When the captain instructs the students to listen to the sea, they stand at the edge of the rolling waves and hear about the unique creatures that make their home in the salty waters. The sea counts from "One whale" to "Ten bottlenose dolphins." Descriptive imagery perfectly captures the quintessential characteristics of each animal. "Four sea horses gallop in a saltwater rodeo" and "Seven jellyfish drift by, dancing a water ballet." The students quickly realize that "This sea counts!" Captain Ned and Mr. Tate continue the lesson, revealing the many ways a clean and healthy ocean matters. After collecting 10 bags of trash from the sandy shore, the children go out on Captain Ned's boat and clean up the water, too. The atmospheric digital collage illustrations are filled with texture, motion, and light. Captivated readers will imagine that they feel the warm sun, salty ocean spray, and cooling breezes along with the students. An afterword and suggested web links provide additional information about keeping the marine world safe. Pair this informative title with Formento's This Tree Counts! (2010) and These Bees Count! (2012, both Albert Whitman).-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA

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