***THREE STARRED REVIEWS*** A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids A Chicago Public Library Kids Best of the Best Book Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List - STEM & Outstanding Merit A poetic, amazingly illustrated journey through the history of the ocean--from its dramatic evolutionary past to its marvelously biodiverse present. Spanning 4.5 billion years of evolution, Jennifer Berne's extensively researched book is an accessible introduction to geology, oceanography, and marine biology. Entrancing verse, awe-inspiring art from Amanda Hall, and wide-ranging back matter capture the mysterious beauty of the ocean and the incredible organisms who call it home. Berne spent years studying evolution and the undersea world to tell this story with lyrical, rhyming verse that makes it an accessible and intriguing introduction to geology, oceanography, and marine biology. Hall's work was shaped by her own reading, conversations with scientists, and explorations at London's Natural History Museum and Cambridge's Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences. Ideal for STEM/STEAM learning, the book also features comprehensive back matter that includes author's and illustrator's notes, an illustrated timeline, key terms and concepts, recommended reading, and more. Part of Eerdmans' Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers series. Awards The New York Public Library Best Books for Kids List Chicago Public Library Kids Best of the Best Books List The Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List - STEM & Outstanding Merit Michigan Reading Association Great Lakes Great Books Award for Grades 2-3 Nominee The Children's Book Council Teacher FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade
Jennifer Berne is an acclaimed children's author whose books include On a Beam of Light, Manfish, On Wings of Words (all Chronicle), and Look Up with Me (Katherine Tegen Books). She has been fascinated by the ocean since her childhood, and this book is based on her countless hours of research about evolution and the undersea world. Jennifer lives in the hills of Columbia County, New York, and spends her summers sailing along the coast of Maine. Visit her website at jenniferberne.com. Amanda Hall has illustrated over fifty award-winning books for young readers, including Out of this World (Balzer & Bray), Little Bear (Wisdom Tales), and The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau (Eerdmans). The art of How the Sea Came to Be was shaped by her reading, conversations with scientists, and explorations at London's Natural History Museum and Cambridge's Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences. Amanda works in her garden studio in Cambridge, England. Visit her website at amandahall- illustration.com.
"An ode to undersea life with visuals that beg to be animated, just as the text begs to be sung." -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW) "Berne skillfully traces the origins and evolution of the oceans and oceanic life through poetic rhyming text, sparing readers from excessive jargon while allowing millenia to fly by. The text alone is excellent, but pushing the book into the realm of extraordinary are Hall's enveloping watercolor, gouache, pencil, pastel, and digital illustrations...From the moment readers open this book and see its beautiful, frenetic endpapers, it's clear they are in for a fantastic journey into the depths of the ocean. A first-purchase for all collections." -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW) "The rich, rhythmic language of Berne's subaquatic exploration is as powerful as her imposing subject. When the stunning verse is experienced alongside the striking art from Amanda Hall (Out of This World), the reading experience is nothing short of mesmerizing." -- Shelf Awareness (STARRED REVIEW) "Delightful, lilting quatrains appear on each page, complemented by dazzling artwork...An accessible introduction to marine biology, oceanography, earth science, and geology, the book includes an appreciable quantity of educational material....an illuminating, impactful, and inspiring science text for budding ocean-related scientists and natural history enthusiasts." -- Foreword Reviews "The rhyming stanzas are impressive, filled with words and cadences that are entertaining to read aloud, and yet also precise in conveying scientific concepts about geological and biological processes...Hall's mixed-media illustrations balance creative use of color and scientific accuracy." -- Horn Book
