Butterfield, Moira. Secret Life of Oceans, The. Vivian Mineker, Illus. Stars of Nature Series; bk. 4. Happy Yak, 05/2023. 48pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-7112-7872-1. GRADES 2 – 5. ADDITIONAL.
At first, this looks like a hodge-podge of information about the oceans, with a few folktales, descriptions of various ocean wildlife, a map showing the oceans, and more. Actually, there is a good amount of information on oceans, presented in a way to appeal to younger children, and illustrated with brightly colored cartoonish artwork that may have been done using gouache. The book is narrated by Tim the green turtle, who takes the reader through the book, describing his birth on a beach, and other facts told in a story-like text. Often there is a clue on each spread as to items to search for in the illustration. Young researchers may not find enough information on a single topic to use for homework but it makes a nice browsing item. Since many students in California live near the ocean, this will be popular for recreational reading. Review based on an Advance Reader Copy.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool