Fish

May 16, 2006

Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot's 25 Fish Every Child Should Know. Simon& Schuster (August 1, 1993)

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 0027058441

     These beautifully executed guides, part of the series Crinkleroot's 100 Animals Every Child Should Know, aim to "provide a base of knowledge of the animal kingdom," Arnosky writes. In the persona of jolly Crinkleroot, a bearded and buckskinned mountain man, the author begins each book amiably with a letter's worth of general information concerning habitats, swimming or flying, gills or feathers. Precise yet fluid watercolor paintings of commonly known species follow--two or three per spread. Arnosky's choice of a sunlit palette against an expansive white background pleases the eye while helping to train it to particulars. His sometimes scientific, sometimes intuitive pairing of varieties breaks the predictable rhythm of many guide books: the heron and stork are coupled for their similarities of habitat and appearance, while the angelfish, flying fish and sea horse have been grouped because of their exotic shapes. As pleasurable as these books are, their overriding value may be in their adaptability to the teaching of observation skills: with just a little help from adults, youngsters may learn how to differentiate shapes, lines and functions, and to draw intelligent conclusions. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Carle, Eric. Mister Seahorse. Philomel (April 26, 2004)

Ages 4-8. ISBN: 0399242694

     Carle once again successfully introduces his young fans to an interesting aspect of the natural world. Using oceanic hues, he creates a menagerie of fascinating underwater creatures with his trademark painted tissue-paper collage illustrations. After Mrs. Seahorse carefully lays her eggs in the pouch on his belly, Mr. Seahorse gently drifts through the water, promising to take good care of their young while they incubate. As he floats along, he politely greets other fish fathers similarly caring for their offspring and praises their efforts, telling them, "Keep up the good work" and "You should feel proud of yourself." Interspersed between these encounters are scenes where he unknowingly swims past fish that are camouflaged (e.g., trumpet fish hide in some reeds and a lionfish lurks behind a coral reef), and their presence is revealed when readers turn the overlaying acetate pages. Although these episodes do not contribute to the main theme of the story, they introduce a greater variety of sea life and are sure to be a hit with children. Finally, Mr. Seahorse's task is complete and the babies are ready to be born and swim away on their own. Repeated phrases and a balanced structure make this offering a good choice for reading aloud. Piper L. Nyman, Fairfield/Suisun Community Library, Fairfield, CA. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cole, Joanna. Bruce Degan (Illustrator), Nancy Stevenson (Illustrator). The Magic School Bus Goes Upstream : A Book About Salmon Migration. Scholastic Paperbacks (June 1, 1997)

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 0590922327

Cone, Molly,Sidnee Wheelwright. Come Back, Salmon: How a Group of Dedicated Kids Adopted Pigeon Creek and Brought It Back to Life. Sierra Club Books for Children (April 1, 1994).

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 0871564890

     An inspiring story of young scientists in action, featured on Nova: how schoolchildren in Everett, Washington, worked with their teachers to clean up Pigeon Creek and reclaim it as a salmon spawning ground. Candid color photos of boys and girls of several ethnic groups, plus a text based on recorded conversations with the kids, lend drama and immediacy; additional scientific facts (e.g., how salmon scales tell the age of the fish; how salmon build a nest or ``redd'') appear in boxes. Glossary; index. (Nonfiction. 10-12) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Crewe, Sabrina, Colin Newman (Illustrator). The Salmon. Steck-Vaughn (September 1, 1998)

Ages 9-12, ISBN: 0817262342

      Two introductory series titles about the life cycles of animals in the wild. Full-color photos and drawings appear throughout, and the large and easy texts contain bolded words that are explained in the glossaries. Beginning with eggs about to hatch, Salmon are shown leaving the nest, migrating to the ocean, leaping up waterfalls, changing color, fighting over a female, escaping predators, and finally returning to their original river. A double-page diagram of the parts of the sockeye salmon's body is presented and other kinds of fish are pictured. In both books, brief mention is made of the perils that face these animals due to human encroachment..Helen Rosenberg, St. Scholastica High School, Chicago, IL Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

     Dive into the spectacular sea! With child-friendly language and vivid photographs, this engaging field guide shows young naturalists how to identify different types of fish, and explains how they breathe, what they eat, and why their bodies are shaped the way they are. Kids will also learn lots of fun fish facts, like how fish build nests, escape predators, and produce electrical currents.

Pfeffer, Wendy, Holly Keller (Illustrator). What's It Like to Be a Fish? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1) HarperTrophy (February 29, 1996)

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 0064451518

     How pet goldfish feed, breathe, swim, and rest in water is the focus of this lively Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book. Large, clear, labeled pictures in pen-and-ink, watercolor, and pastel and a simple, informative text explain how scales and slime keep fish healthy, how their sleek shapes help them swim, what it means to be cold-blooded, etc. There's some general information at the beginning about fish in lakes and ponds, and one double-page spread shows them in the sea, but the focus is on caring for a pet goldfish. The final instructions for setting up a goldfish bowl are straightforward and practical. The book design is open and inviting, and Keller's brilliantly colored fish swim through pages washed in aquatic blue and green. Hazel Rochman

Simon, Seymour. Sharks. HarperTrophy (September 30, 1996)

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 0064461874

     With a good balance of text and illustrations, Simon introduces the world of sharks. Always informative, he offers basic information about their variety, habits, physical characteristics, and life cycles. Although not captioned, the excellent full-color photographs relate so closely to the text on the opposite page that the pictures work in harmony with the words. An effective introduction to sharks. Carolyn Phelan--

Also in Spanish: Simon, Seymour. Tiburones. Publisher: Rayo (November 1, 2004)
Ages 9-12, ISBN: 0060564962

Suzuki, David C.,Sarah Ellis, Sheena Lott (Illustrator). Salmon Forest. Greystone Books (July 1, 2003)

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 1550549375

     Katie and her dad are hiking near a river when Dad announces, "Today we're going to find a story . . . . It's called The Salmon Forest." In a dialogue between father and daughter, the facts of a salmon's spawning cycle emerge. ... the text includes lovely sensory descriptions, and the book offers a wider view of the fish's ecosystem than many other books on the subject. In clear, kid-friendly language, Katie and Dad discuss how the salmon and the forest ecosystem form an intricate web of dependency that includes flesh-eating fungi, maggots, and "all the poop" from the animals that feed on salmon. Vibrant watercolors of sun-dappled forest light and shimmering fish bodies add to the sense of atmosphere. A fine demonstration of the web of life for early-elementary science units. A salmon recipe and a glossary are appended. Gillian Engberg Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved.

Troll, Ray. Sharkabet: A Sea of Sharks from A to Z . Westwinds Press (March 1, 2002)

Ages 4-8, ISBN: 1558685197

     "Did you know there are more than 400 different kinds of sharks?" In this distinctive and beautifully illustrated shark alphabet book, published in association with the American Museum of Natural History, Troll celebrates the shark's diverse family tree. With concise text and exceptionally detailed pastel-like illustrations, he matches a species to each letter. For readers who see sharks as dangerous and repellent, Troll offers a new and more accurate perspective. For those who already know and respect the wonder of these creatures' existence after over 400 million years, Troll offers visuals and facts to reinforce their respect and awe. Attractive and packed with information, Sharkabet will not dissappoint. Kelly Halls. Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved