Discover Science: Oceans and Seas

Kingfisher Young Knowledge

by Nicola Davies

Make science accessible with this essential series that will capture children’s imagination while laying the foundation for future learning. With age-appropriate language and an eye-catching design,Discover Science gives young readers the answers to fundamental questions about the human body, animals, planet Earth and the Solar System.
 
Go on a breath-taking tour of the wide oceans and seas
There is a lot to discover in the ocean—after all, two -thirds of Earth is covered by water! What kinds of animals live in shallow tropical reefs; what creatures lurk near the deepest ocean floor? How do humans affect sea life, and what mysteries are scientists still trying to solve? A parent and teacher guide, craft activities, and a glossary and index enhance this useful reference book.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals

56 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2004

About the author

"I was very small when I saw my first dolphin," says zoologist Nicola Davies, recalling a seminal visit with her father to a dolphin show at the zoo. Enchanted at the sight of what she called the "big fish" jumping so high and swimming so fast, she determined right then that she would meet the amazing creatures again "in the wild, where they belonged." And indeed she did--as part of a pair of scientific expeditions, one to Newfoundland at the age of eighteen and another to the Indian Ocean a year later. In WILD ABOUT DOLPHINS, Nicola Davies describes her voyages in a firsthand account filled with fascinating facts and captivating photographs of seven species of dolphins in action.

Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The zoologist's latest offering puts a decidedly quirky twist on her years of experience: POOP: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE is a fun, fact-filled guide to the fascinating world of poop across species. "As a zoologist, you are never far from poop!" the writer explains. "I've baked goose poop in an oven with my dinner, looked at bat poop under the microscope, and had my T-shirt stained pink with blue-whale poop. I was obviously fated to write this book."


The exceptional combination of Nicola Davies's zoological expertise and her first-rate children's writing is apparent in her remarkable catalog of award-winning titles. Her first book with Candlewick Press, BIG BLUE WHALE, was hailed by American Bookseller as an "artfully composed study" offering "language exactly appropriate for four- to seven-year-olds and precisely the right amount of information." In ONE TINY TURTLE, Nicola Davies's clear, compelling narrative follows the life of the rarely seen loggerhead turtle, which swims the oceans for thirty years and for thousands of miles in search of food, only to return, uncannily, to lay her eggs on the very beach where she was born. The author's next book, BAT LOVES THE NIGHT, is a tenderly written ode to a much-misunderstood flying mammal, the pipistrelle bat, while SURPRISING SHARKS--winner of a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Honor Award--contains unexpected facts about another one of the planet's most infamous animals.


When she is not off on scientific expeditions, Nicola Davies lives in a cottage in Somerset, England, where she is lucky enough to have pipistrelle bats nesting in her roof.

Reviews

[Mary Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book it tells reader that two-thirds of the earth is ocean. It describes many of the characteristics of the ocean. The books also talks about undersea landscapes, salt water fish, ocean mammals, and more. This book was covered in facts, but it was written in a creative way so children will enjoy it. I would read this to my class during a unit on sea life.

[XIS Grade 3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry: I like this book because I can learn about fish and what they eat.

[Elaina]

This book goes into detail about the ocean and the animals that live in the ocean. This book would be good for a 1st-4th grade.

[Sarah Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read several informational books about the ocean and this one was probably the most age appropriate for my Kindergartner. It was a great introduction and we enjoyed it!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't love it, but there were some fairly original--and very nice--pictures here.