Deep Dive into Deep Sea: Exploring the Most Mysterious Levels of the Ocean

by Tim Flannery, Sam Caldwell (Illustrator)

Internationally renowned author and scientist Tim Flannery explores the most remote and mysterious levels of Earth’s oceans. Who is the giant squid’s mortal enemy? Can you see ghosts in the deep sea? What in the world is a headless chicken monster? Tim Flannery has the answers. In this informed and accessible book, he takes readers on a journey into the darkest depths of this unchartered realm to learn about the incredible creatures living there. Divided into sections that focus on the various depths of the ocean, readers can navigate their way through the sea while being guided by anecdotes from Tim’s own personal experiences. From hairy sea devils and goblin sharks to entire ecosystems within whale carcasses, he uncovers fascinating and bizarre facts about this enchanting place and the slippery, scaly, and strange creatures that live there. Packed with vibrant illustrations and snappy engaging text, Deep Dive into Deep Sea will enthrall, enlighten, and capture the imaginations and passions of young oceanographers.

Genres: Science, Middle Grade

128 pages, Hardcover

Published June 7, 2022

About the author

Tim Flannery is one of Australia's leading thinkers and writers.

An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, he has published more than 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers and many books. His books include the landmark works The Future Eaters and The Weather Makers, which has been translated into more than 20 languages and in 2006 won the NSW Premiers Literary Prizes for Best Critical Writing and Book of the Year.

He received a Centenary of Federation Medal for his services to Australian science and in 2002 delivered the Australia Day address. In 2005 he was named Australian Humanist of the Year, and in 2007 honoured as Australian of the Year.

He spent a year teaching at Harvard, and is a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a director of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and the National Geographic Society's representative in Australasia. He serves on the board of WWF International (London and Gland) and on the sustainability advisory councils of Siemens (Munich) and Tata Power (Mumbai).

In 2007 he co-founded and was appointed Chair of the Copenhagen Climate Council, a coalition of community, business, and political leaders who came together to confront climate change.

Tim Flannery is currently Professor of Science at Maquarie University, Sydney.

Reviews

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Flannery creates a reference book for tweens and teens that describes perhaps 100 or so creatures who live deep in the ocean.

The pages are well designed for drawing in readers: there are text boxes, various font sizes, and plenty of colorful illustrations.

The chapters are organized by increasing depths within the oceans. The adaptations of these deep sea creatures become more and more unusual as the book progresses.

The back matter includes an index and a glossary.

I do not imaging anyone would sit and read this book in one sitting, but I can see this book being an inviting choice in a classroom's reading nook. The information can be a little dense, so I would imaging children 11 to 15 would be the most ideal readers.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Dive into Deep Sea is a fantastically illustrated exploration of the levels of the ocean, with information broken into accessible and interesting tidbits. Deep ocean makes up nine-tenths of all habitat on earth! And yet, it continues to hold some of the greatest mysteries. This book doesn't include the regular sea life we see in the upper sunlit zone of the ocean, but really introduces us to the strangest and rarest of the depths. So much to discover! Tim Flannery makes it interesting and approachable; Sam Caldwell's illustrations bring it to life.

Read as a nomination in the non-fiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[alexander shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being a children's nonfiction book, it's very informative and felt a little advanced/higher grade level. The graphics throughout of all the creatures are awesome and help to break up what could otherwise be a textbook. Each chapter covers some of the unique creatures found in different zones of the ocean, and an introductory chapters goes over how those zones are broken up and how the oceans themselves work. There is talk of endangered species and climate change, but it's not overpowering or depressing; the main focus always remains on the animals themselves. The descriptions for similar species did feel a little repetitive but an age-appropriate reader would likely enjoy this title very much.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fun pictures and facts -- I found myself often grabbing nearby people to show them an illustration or share some information.

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very interesting and introduced me to animals I had never heard of.

[Great Books]

Browsable look at the deepest parts of the ocean and the creatures that live there. Divided into sections, readers can browse by different ocean depths or just flip through the book, pick a page, and learn unusual facts about a new to you creature. Color illustrations throughout the book will help readers imagine what it would be like to actually see one of these animals. #8