The Deep Blue by Charlotte Guillain is a "stepping stone" book for those children developing an interest in the natural world around them and investigating more descriptive language in their reading, speaking and listening.
Beautifully illustrated by Lou Baker Smith to show the mysteries of the oceans, both above and below the water, The Deep Blue also looks at the extremes of weather conditions from the frozen ocean to a blue lagoon.
A wealth of land animals and ocean creatures, big (polar bears) and small (krill), are described in a lovely imaginative way that children easily relate to. Our eldest grandson, who is keen on nature and science, found the detail provided fascinating, and asked many "why?" and "how come?" questions as we read through.
The author is not afraid to address the impact human behaviour is having on our natural world, through climate change and rubbish disposal, both themes close to our hearts. Charlotte Guillain uses her skills with language in The Deep Blue to explain the threat to the ocean reefs, in a way that children will understand.
For younger children this is a "read to" book with attractive illustrations, whilst older developing readers will gain confidence through linking the dynamic drawings with the language used.
I highly recommend this book as it is different from just a storybook but still cleverly links the story line of our oceans with non-fictional information.
PWT review: ♥♥♥♥♥
Published by QED Publishing and available from bookshops and Amazon: The Deep Blue: Oceans (World of Wonder)