Oceans: The Vast, Mysterious Deep

by David L. Harrison

Oceans cover more than seventy percent of the earth. Below the surface of the water lies chains of volcanoes, deep trenches, and tall mountains, whose tops break the water in the form of islands. Above the surface, oceans affect the earth's weather. Wind and water can create severe storms, depending on the temperature. The Gulf Stream, a current that begins in the Gulf of Mexico, travels across the Atlantic Ocean and affects the climate in the British Isles. Oceans are an important part of the planet. This basic introduction explores oceans form their formation millions of years ago to the important role they play in nature each day.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Martha Reitter]

This was a very informative and interesting book to read. I enjoyed the illustrations and liked how the information wasn't overwhelming like some informational books can be. This book talks about all the different oceans we have on our planet and so many interesting facts. It discusses the unique characteristics of the ocean and the different factors that contribute to its beauty such as the animals that live there, trenches, weather, and even the different areas of the ocean to name a few. I believe this could be a great addition to any classroom.

I would use this book in a 4th grade classroom and read it to my students when kicking off the introduction to oceans. After reading, I would have the students make either a 3D diagram of an area of the ocean (such as shallow waters, coral reefs, trenches) and have them share it with the class. I would make sure they are creative and add labels that describes what they are demonstrating.

[Ann Marie Olson]

Personal reaction:
I really liked this book. I thought it was creative that the author and illustrator took the reader on a “tour of oceans” around the world. It is important to teach children that there is more than one ocean and they are in different places around the world and have different characteristics. The illustrations are vivid and bright, which would definitely capture children’s attention.

Read aloud:
This would be a great book to read aloud because the large pictures help tell the story. The font is also pretty big, so students would also be able to see the words and terms used. I think it would be important for the teacher to exaggerate the new terms and help guide the children in figuring out what they mean.

Independent read:
2nd or 3rd grade
This book would be intriguing for students who want to visit the ocean, love the ocean, or want to learn more about the oceans around the world. This would be the perfect book to introduce the concept of an ocean and what the ocean contains. Students could read this book for a research project about oceans to get a better understanding of oceans overall.

Literary elements
o Cross-curricular: map of the continents and oceans (geography)
o Transition words- when, then, now, today, etc.
o Vocabulary: vapor, trenches, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami