THE OCEAN IS KIND OF A BIG DEAL

Cartoonist Seluk offers another science-focused picture book, this time taking a dive into the ocean to look at food chains, the role of phytoplankton, and plastic pollution.

Our planet’s ocean is in several ways far from being, as the author claims, “its own ecosystem, living in perfect balance.” Still, with a green krill and a hot-pink octopus taking the lead, he does deliver broadly accurate outline introductions to four oceanic zones, select sea life at each level from whales to microorganisms, and the worldwide effects of oceanic currents. Along with frequent “Oh Hey, Guess What?” inserts of random facts, Seluk’s seascapes feature lots of simply drawn, googly-eyed animals in animated poses and eye-popping hues with the occasional human diver mixed in. An ominous warning that floating plastic is “bad for sea creatures” that might eat it (not to mention people who eat sea creatures) will stir children young enough to regard the title as actual news (as well as older readers), and a set of very simple activities and quizzes at the end is likewise aimed at a broad audience. Humans depicted are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Occasionally simplistic but likely to make a splash, particularly with younger readers.