The Dying Sea

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-- From the close-up of dead fish in polluted waters on the cover to the stark facts inside, this book paints a bleak yet accurate picture of the current sea environment. Many problems are explained in brief: how the food chain conducts poisons dumped into the sea to many animals, including man; the ways overfishing and dredging contribute to the extinction of some species and upset the balance of life; the reasons why coral reefs are threatened; and how garbage, oil spills, and hazardous chemicals aim sea life toward destruction. In a pleasing format, good basic information is given with relevant, carefully-chosen examples and interesting, helpful photos and diagrams. However, Oceans in Peril (Atheneum, 1987) by John Christopher Fine is much more complete. --Diane P. Tuccillo, Mesa Public Library, Ariz.