Life Under Ice

by Mary M. Cerullo, Bill Curtsinger (Photographer)

Marine photographer Bill Curtsinger has returned to Antarctica a number of times to photograph the animals and plants that survive in the icy, ice-capped waters at the end of the earth. Mary Cerullo shares his story with us, telling what it's like to start a diving trip by cutting a hole in ice eight to ten feet thick, then diving into the chilly depths with the light shining through your entry hole the only beacon to your escape route.


Bill's amazing photographs and his curiosity about the world combine to show us a strange and wonderful part of our earth where some fish survive by having clear blood that acts like antifreeze, jellyfish and sponges and sea spiders grow enormous, the food web is simple, and even minor changes in conditions can affect the the survival rate of baby penguins.  We learn how penguins and seals are adapted for life on the ice and under it, how the ice acts like a greenhouse roof for marine plants during Antarctica's summer months, and how it keeps the water warmer than the air during the frigid winter.


Bill meets scientists from all over the world who travel to Antarctica to study not only its marine life, but weather, the stars, climate change and human impacts. This is inquiry-based science, up close -- and often under ice.


A glossary and resource list continue the learning and will lead you to some exciting websites along with an excellent curriculum guide on Antarctica available online from the American Museum of Natural History.

Genres: Animals, Picture Books, Science, Nonfiction

37 pages, Hardcover

First published May 28, 2003

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's science author Mary M. Cerullo and nature photographer Bill Curtsinger - who have also collaborated on two other ocean-related titles for children, Sea Soup: Phytoplankton and Sea Soup: Zooplankton - turn their attention to the world under the ice of Antarctica in this engaging picture-book. A fascinating ecosystem that few will ever see in person, it is a place of intense cold (although the ice keeps the water warmer than the air above!) and salt (saltier than in other seas, because when the ice forms, the salt is left behind in the remaining water) - a place which has led to the development of unique lifeforms (gigantic sea spiders!) and incredible adaptations (collapsing lungs!).

I'm surprised to see that Life Under Ice has received so little attention from reviewers online, because it is an informative little book that is well worth the young reader's time! The color photographs are appealing, capturing the mysterious quality of this underwater world (loved the picture of the leopard seal appearing out of the gloom!), and the text is engaging. I learned quite a bit (I never knew what benthic science was, until now!), and think young readers would as well. Highly recommended to all young readers interested in Antarctica, or in marine biology.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the essay subjects in Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader, Anne Fadiman writes about how most readers have an “odd shelf” and how her odd shelf has books about polar exploration; I have also always been fascinated by this topic, so this book was right up my alley.

These are crazy people! Crazier than the K2 and Mt. Everest mountain climbers, in my opinion, although both endeavors I choose to experience vicariously, via books.

In this book, readers get stunning images, and a fascinating account of how undersea research is done, and some information about the marine life surrounding Antarctica, and also some education about how global warming is effecting this ecosystem.

It’s a fine book, but the techniques used for imparting information sometimes seem forced. For instance, there are “conversations” the researchers supposedly have that are obviously designed to educate. That and the fact I wanted even more amazing photos and even more information kept me from giving it 5 stars, or even a full 4.

But, this is a terrific book for upper elementary school students. There’s an informative “Let’s Find Out More” section in the back with a list of websites and books, and glossary and a map. (And as my friends here know, I love maps in books.)

Kudos to Tilbury House for yet another worthy book, and for publishing so many different types of worthwhile books for children.

3 ¾ stars (ha ha – it really is between 3 ½ and 4 stars for me. I’m probably not doing my lobbying for ½ stars any good doing this, but if I had the ability to assign ½ stars I’d have chosen 3 ½ with very little obsessing)

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting. Being an older person I enjoyed the beautiful pictures and information this book had.