CAPTAIN BARNACLE’S AQUARIUM

Dropping in and out of lecture mode—“Here you’ll see countless species of fish. Many of these aquatic, cold-blooded vertebrates I discovered on me [sic] journey”—a snaggle-toothed pirate tour guide regales a visiting class with tales of a treasure hunt, while presenting a series of aquarium exhibits. Showing no particular sense of audience, the informational load carried on the tanks’ labels ranges at random from “Whales live in the ocean,” to “Shrimp are crustaceans,” and features, among other uselessly imprecise statements, the observation that sponges “come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.” In Miller’s flat, stylized illustrations, scenes from the Captain’s yarn often float in front of the marine exhibits. Trying too hard, this ends up just a bewildering mix; steer young readers instead to more conventional tours like Aliki’s My Visit to the Aquarium (1993). (pirate glossary) (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-7)