Plants Under the Sea

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6Each of these titles provides brief information on a variety of plants and also touches on animal life and plant/animal relationships. Because each environment addressed has several variationsopen sea versus shoreline, for examplethe books offer glimpses into the many facets of aquatic life. Stunning, full-color illustrations show such seldom-mentioned plants as the macrocystis, salpas, and aquatic cuckoopint. Equally captivating are the unfamiliar animals, such as the sea feather and dithyscus. Although each habitat is given good coverage, no individual species gets a great deal of description, making the books unsuitable for reports. But for nature-loving children, these series entries should ignite a strong interest in botany. Joanna Cole's The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor (Scholastic, 1992) and Jason Cooper's Sea Plants (Rourke, 1992) are wonderful books for younger readers. Additional offerings.Amy Adler, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, OH