with Grace Hill and Joe Leavit
June 11th 2019 by National Geographic Society
Copy provided by the publisher
Don't be fooled by the cartoon cover on this Science Superheroes volume about the ocean-- this book is jam packed with tons of information! Each chapter does start out with a brief graphic novel style adventure for Captain Aquatica and Finn, her hammerhead shark, but then continues with a thorough explanation of the topic, well-illustrated with National Geographic's usual fantastic photographs. The chapters cover information about waves and weather, underneath the surface, ocean engineers, animals, and sharks. I especially liked the chapters about underwater technology and saving the ocean. The page layout is exactly what I look for when investigating nonfiction for my students-- there are bold paragraph headings, pictures with information, sidebars, insets with addition information, maps, and timelines. There is also a glossary, very complete index, and list of resources. The text is interesting and supported by these items.
Strengths: For some reason, my students are VERY interested in oceans, maybe because we are land locked? Many of them talk about becoming marine biologists, and this is a perfect resource for them. The full color format makes other nonfiction seem dull, and the depth of information is amazing. The graphic novel chapter beginnings will pull readers in.
Weaknesses: The text is on the small side (10 point font). This will turn some readers away.
What I really think: This is a great book for readers who want a lot of information about all manner of aspects of oceanography!
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