These Seas Count!

by Alison Ashley Formento

"These Seas Count!" explores the environmental impact and importance of the seas.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Science, Number, Environment, Counting, Childrens

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Alison Ashley Formento is the author of the young adult novel TWIGS (Merit Press), and award-winning picture books THIS TREE COUNTS!, THIS TREE 1, 2, 3, THESE BEES COUNT!, THESE SEAS COUNT! and THESE ROCKS COUNT! (Albert Whitman & Co.). She's written for The New York Times, Parenting, The Writer and several other magazines.

AUTHOR WEBSITE

www.alisonashleyformento.com

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Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I do very much and yes even totally, fully agree with ALL of the ecological and "we need to protect and clean up our beaches and oceans" messages that author Alison Ashley Formento clearly and succinctly (and indeed extremely overtly) presents in her These Seas Count (and that of course this needs to also start with the young, with children such as Mr. Tate's students who during a field trip to the seaside end up filling ten huge garbage bags full of beachside trash and then find even more garbage to be collected in the ocean itself during a ride on Captain Ned's Sea Fan), personally I would rather have those same messages presented in a less in one's face and openly didactic and even at times a bit too confrontational manner. For let's face it, while environmental responsibility (and being annoyed with and frustrated by polluters and litterbugs) is of course of the utmost importance especially now, especially in and for today's world and with regard to both land and sea, I might add, this all is still at times seen as rather controversial and not altogether believed by everyone. Therefore, in my opinion, many readers (and definitely many parents) would perhaps not all that much appreciate having their children basically mostly being quite massively chided and dictated to in These Seas Count. And albeit that a book like These Seas Count certainly features important and necessary admonishments and demonstrates both textually and visually the negative affects of littering, of pollution, of human irresponsibility with regard to in this case the oceans and the seaside, I personally really do believe in the age-old saying that one tends to catch more flies with honey (and that Alison Ashley Formento's environmental messages and her criticisms towards pollution and our modern lifestyles would work better and likely be more accepted and taken to heart if These Seas Count were not as didactic and pedantic in nature and not so one hundred percent negative and critical).

And furthermore, while I have found the learning and practicing the numbers one to ten section of These Seas Count delightful in and of itself (and also showing the ocean as it should be, without pollution, without man-made, human caused garbage and trash), in some ways, said entire section is actually also both potentially distracting and even in my opinion a trifle off-topic. For if Alison Ashley Formento really wanted to show how all encompassingly the oceans, the seas have been negatively influenced and compromised by pollution and especially our plastic garbage, she should not be showing the fish, the turtles, the whales etc. in the learning and practicing numerical digits part of These Seas Count in a pristine and natural ocean environment, but in a polluted and garbage-filled one, as to and for me at least, the counting section as it appears at present, it just feels both somewhat off and yes in my opinion it might even give the erroneous idea and impression that once one leaves the beach behind, the oceans are still pristine and unspoiled, untouched by human garbage, life and behaviour, which is simply and utterly untrue. Therefore only two stars for the author's, for Alison Ashley Formento's presented narrative (as indeed, her text to and for me is both too didactic in nature and could possibly also lead to distraction and even reading annoyance) but rounded up to a low three star ranking as for one, I do most definitely very much agree with the basic environmental protection and saving our oceans bent of These Seas Count and that indeed and for two, Sarah Snow's accompanying illustrations are an aesthetic treasure and treat (delightfully, imaginatively but still realistically showing both the majesty of the sea and definitely and sadly but also necessarily demonstrating how especially our garbage, our trash is destroying the earth's beaches, entangling sea creatures and just making the entire seaside into an ugly and horrid eyesore).

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture, counting book also has an important message. The beaches have to be kept clean for the sea animals, and for us too. Mr. Tate's class cleans up the bottles, plastic and even car tires along the beach. Captain Ned explains about phytoplankton feeding larger animals and creating oxygen. They cannot grown in polluted water. The class takes a boat ride and cleans the water too.
The last two pages of the book contain information for older readers. There is a Bibliography, and a list of web links for further study. The cute and colorful illustrations are digital collage. The book succeeds in being informational without being too preachy.

[Penny McGill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. We liked the illustration style and felt that the children's faces and clothing were cheerful enough but the overall tone of the book was very dark. Of course it was meant to be dark - the environmental impact of humans on the oceans is not a good one - but this picture book is 100% sad. Even the sea lions had sad faces in this book! We didn't enjoy the counting part of the book (usually the highlight) and are fairly sure that, if we had read it when the girls were younger, it might even have made us too sad to finish reading the whole book. Not likely to be a book anyone would return to again and again. 2 stars only.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The students in Mr. Tate's class help remove debris from the beach and then listen as the sea counts off reasons that seas should matter. Readers will learn--alongside the students--how garbage thrown into the ocean can affect the environment. They also will be reminded of the links among the various parts of the ecosystem. Colorful illustrations draw readers' eyes to the pages while back matter provides additional information about the importance of Earth's seas.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author of this title was going for a double purpose here, counting and the importance of oceans. Very much like a lesson plan a teacher would use--field trip to visit the beach, sea captain tells information about why seas are important and children help to clean the beach of trash. As one reviewer stated no numbers on the page where the counting is happening.

[Amanda B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great informational picture book for older readers. I love the message that every little bit counts, and that the cleanup efforts of a group of children can benefit the whole world.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

good message, but tries to be a whole marine ecology unit in one short picture book.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Alison Formento and artist Sarah Snow have given us a lovely counting book. And with those numbers, there's an inspired-and-inspiring introduction to ocean wildlife.

The environmental message can help parents, caregivers, and children alike to make a contribution, giving back to nature.

[H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute book about the environment for kids that teaches counting

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oceans, ocean conservation, garbage, pollution, ocean animals

[Juju Andalon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute environmental message, but first snd foremost, a book for counting.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Tate’s class travels to Sunnyside Beach to help clean it up. Pollution and trash can make the sea life sick. When the kids are at the beach they listen to the ocean and see how all of the wild life at the beach counts (literally and figuratively).

Why I liked this book – I love how Ms. Formento makes her books into a 1-10 counting book with an awesome story behind it. So kids not only learn an important environmental lesson, they also learn to count to 10. I like how in this book, you also learn a little bit about 10 sea animals (one or two sentences each). The illustrations by Sarah Snow are pretty and full of texture (I read that she uses “digital collage” to make them). They add a lot to the story. Ms. Formento really writes a great non-fictiony fiction book, along with the cool illustrations by Ms. Snow, and together they make a wonderful informational book for young kids to enjoy! :D
*NOTE - I got a copy of this book at a book festival

[Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A grim gripping tale of the horrors that lurk along the shore and in the sea; an innocent child is dashed along the garbage strewn shore in pursuit of an injured crab, another comes face to face with a dead marine animal in a pool of murky liquid. And when Jake dares in interrupt the sea's intonations, Shin ensures Jake speaks no more, as the cultists in The Call of Cthulhu silenced those who would dare prevent their impending "glorious fulfillment."

Useful information at the end of the book. But not the information we're all all reading in hope of discovering: what is Captain Ned's true mission? Who is he really working for?

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alison Formento takes Mr. Tate’s class to the seaside, where they meet the knowledgeable Captain Ned. Ned encourages the students to listen to the sea. They hear the many creatures that count on clean ocean water to survive. Captain Ned teaches the students that healthy oceans are important to all earth’s creatures. The kids do their part by participating in the beach clean-up. Sarah Snow’s digital collage illustrations bring texture and sea-faring color to each page. This picture book introduces clean water and water-cycle concepts in an approachable, easy to understand way.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice addition to this really great series! I think all early childhood educators should know about it and have it in their classrooms.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Mr. Tate's class helps out on Beach Clean-Up Day, Captain Ned teaches the children the importance of the sea and the impact of not keeping it clean.

[Darcee Kraus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book with fantastic color and illustrations. This is the perfect summer read for ages 3 to 5 :)

[Maddypictures · Rating 1 out of 5]

My pet peeve is counting books that don't have numbers in them.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being partial to marine animals and the sea, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It carries a well-written important message and the illustrations are gorgeous.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice art, might work well in a story time.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring.

[Ayşe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Çevre kirliliğini ele alarak sayı saymaya değinmesi çok güzel olmuş. Bu kitabı okuyan çocuklar gereken dersleri çıkaracaktır eminim :) iyi okumalar