THE SEA KNOWS

An introduction to the sea and some of the creatures that inhabit it.

Using the concepts of “sea” and “ocean” interchangeably, the book presents the ocean world in short rhythmic sentences that anthropomorphize it: “We are young. The sea is old. / The sea has secrets to unfold. / The sea knows.” Dynamic, colorful, semirealistic illustrations accompany the text. As the book progresses, readers find out what the sea knows: “The sea knows huge.” “The sea knows short.” “The sea knows bold.” “The sea knows bright.” “The sea knows wind, and waves that tower.” Sacrificing information for form, the evocative text provides no information alongside the illustrations to expand on these statements. For that, readers must rely on the backmatter. Since the intended audience is presumably not one familiar with marine life but rather one only just learning about it, reading the book becomes a cumbersome exercise of flipping back and forth between illustrations and backmatter. By doing this, readers find out “huge” is the blue whale; “short” are flat-topped crabs; “bold” are the clownfish that live among poisonous anemones; and “bright” is the luminescent comb jelly. The book has alluring illustrations and well-researched, interesting, and age-appropriate information; it is a pity the two were kept apart.

An imperfect yet captivating introduction to the ocean habitat.