Sea Horses

Children's Literature

Sea horses are such ethereal, lovely creatures, one could almost expect to see them in a fairy tale rather than in our oceans. How do parents or teachers express this sense of wonder to a very young child? This book, part of the "Under the Sea" series, is a great start. Using easy to understand text and clear, breathtaking photography, the book explains sea horses are fish, where they live, and their body parts: a head that looks like a horse's head, fins to help them swim and tails with which they are able to hold on to sea grasses or each other. These creatures, only as long as a pencil, can change color for protection. If you look closely, the final illustration reveals an adult sea horse surrounded by several tiny babies, their parents in miniature. The book includes a glossary, index, bibliography and web site. Well done! 2005, Pebble Plus/Capstone press, Ages 3 to 6.
—Judy Crowder

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-These easy-to-read titles consist of simple sentences, repetition of new words, and interesting facts to engage new science readers. Each one begins with a basic description of the creature, then loosely describes its body parts. Vibrant, full-color photography carefully selected from various sources brings the texts into clearer focus. End material consists of an unsatisfactory glossary, a brief suggested reading list, and an Internet-site recommendation that requires a special code. Well-funded libraries with a desire to add to simple nonfiction picture-book collections might consider these books for purchase.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.