The Strangest Thing in the Sea: and other Curious Creatures of the Deep

by Rachel Poliquin, Byron Eggenschwiler (Illustrations)

A look at some very strange creatures in the sea --- but which is the strangest?
A feathery tutu dancing through the water?
A tiptoeing rock wearing a wig?
A mountain of skulls on the ocean floor?

Not everything is quite as it seems in this exploration of 12 bizarre and little-known sea animals. Each creature is introduced with an imaginative first-person depiction of its appearance, accompanied by an artistic interpretation and the question, “Am I the strangest thing in the sea?” Then, open the gatefold, and an illustration and full description of the actual creature in its habitat are revealed, along with the answer that, no, this is not the strangest thing in the sea. That is, until the last creature, which is the strangest. But what could it be?

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Animals, Science, Childrens, Middle Grade, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 5, 2021

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Strangest Thing in the Sea: and other Curious Creatures of the Deep
by Rachel Poliquin, Byron Eggenschwiler (Illustrations)

Wow, kids will love this book! I loved this book! It has the most beautiful and creative art! The book starts by asking the reader a strange question about an animal. Asking the reader then to guess what the animal is. The next picture shows a silly guess. Then it shows the real animal and gives a lot of very strange information about that bizarre creature.

It goes on like this through all the animals! They are sure strange too! Something out of a sci-fi novel if you didn't know they were real! Lol!

In the end, the depths of the oceans are shown (in beautiful artwork) and where each of these bizarre creatures live. It also gives other amazing trivial knowledge of the oceans depths!

Interesting, educational, and intriguing! Definitely a book kids will look at over and over again!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read about these exotic and strange creatures of the deep!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally dug the mysterious creatures that are in the sea with this unique approach that demystifies the deep.

Choosing a dozen or so peculiar characters from the deep the first layout (and I was reading it digitally so it might pack a little different punch in print) hinting at how similar it looks to *something else* and then when you turn the page with the rhyme/riddle again it shows the reader the whole creature and gives some facts and figures about what it is and what is so peculiar about it. I love this kind of approachable nonfiction that allows the curiosity to shine and imaginations to run free while teaching something all the same.

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

For readers endlessly fascinated by sea creatures peculiar and wondrous, Rachel Poliquin and Byron Eggenschwiler’s The Strangest Thing in the Sea (And Other Curious Creatures of the Deep) is recommended reading. An interactive non-fiction title that poses a lyrical (and illustrative!) hint to readers and provides the answer(s) with a full-page open-the-flap reveal, Poliquin and Eggenschwiler’s title is a very cool, skillfully presented read. For every creature featured in Poliquin and Eggenschwiler’s book, readers are treated to an introductory clue and fictitious representation of the animal to be revealed. For example (minor book spoilers here!), before the reveal of a hairy frogfish, readers see an unimpressed rock- complete with a red coif and pink bow!- balancing on tiny sneakers saying: ”I look like a tiptoeing/rock wearing a wig./I even have a bow in my hair, sort of. Am I the strangest thing in the sea?”. Upon opening the flap, readers are treated to an illustration of the actual creature, with a rundown of how the creature subsists, any tricks or sneaky skills they might have, what their key features are, as well as concise notes about their size, prey, habitats, and depth (of typical location). The Strangest Thing in the Sea follows creature to creature- each so striking, unusual and respectively stupendous- that the build up and promise of revealing the strangest creature is surprising and pays off rather well! (And no spoilers here, I promise). Byron Eggenschswiler (who was very recently featured for the beautiful Song for the Snow, with Jon-Erik Lappano!) so wonderfully captures the moodier, murkier feel of the deep sea, with an appropriately atmospheric palette full of greys, browns, greens, with pops of ghostly white and blood red. The interplay between Poliquin’s combination of playful and strictly informational text with Eggenschwiler’s fantastical, shadowy, and factual illustrations are a strong pairing. For readers who have loved non-fiction books such as Jess Keating and David DeGrand’s engrossing The World of Weird Animals, Rachel Poliquin and Kathryn Durst’s How to Promenade with a Python (and Not Get Eaten) (which is so clever and funny!), or any number of great books by the award-winning team of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page, The Strangest Thing in the Sea is an excellent pick.

I received a copy of this title courtesy of Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I look like a silvery moon
with graceful wings.
Some people call me the
Swimming Head.

Am I the strangest thing
in the sea?

I'M AN OCEAN SUNFISH.

BRILLIANT!!! Each two-page spread begins with an image of what a child might compare the creature to (imagine an illustration of a moon with a face, short wings, and legs a bit like Humpty Dumpty's) and then you open the flap to see the real creature - the Ocean Sunfish. Byron Eggenschwiler's illustrations are fantastic!!! And I'm telling you - these are not creatures you typically read about! There's the goblin shark, the hairy frogfish, the feather star.

Each spread includes a short description of the animal written from the animal's viewpoint (e.g., I really am a swimming head. My backbone is shorter than your pinky finger and I don't have a tail like most fish--it's more a frilly rudder to keep me swimming straight...). There are also four boxes with additional FASCINATING information. BIG SURPRISE AT THE END - the strangest animal in the ocean turns out to be humans. Why? I'll leave you hanging there!

THIS WOULD READ ALOUD WELL or read the first page and entry and leave in the classroom library to be SNATCHED UP!

RACHEL POLIQUIN is a GO-TO-AUTHOR for me. She's has a science degree and also seems to understand her audience. LOVE her series Superpower Field Guide about different animals and their superpowers. SO ENGAGING FOR OUR student READERS.

[Edge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Strangest Thing In The Sea is a lovely book exploring the weird and strange creatures that can be found in the ocean with descriptions and facts, and is also a bit of a guessing game to figure out which is the strangest. The illustrations by @byronegg are incredible. Scroll to see my favorite example.

I read an e-book version but it is my understanding that the physical version will be more interactive and I imagine that will add to the mystery of the creatures.

This is a children’s book and if you have children or know any and want to get a fun science book for them I highly recommend this one. I also recommend reading along because you may learn a few things yourself.

ARC provided by Netgalley and Kids Can Press.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Strangest Thing in the Sea is a great non-fiction about sea life, that will marvel adults and children alike!
The illustrations are beautiful and super fun!
The chosen animals are sure to attract the interest of an audience and the facts presented will keep readers engaged throughout
The text is written not only to be informative but to be funny as well - i loved all the closing sentences!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an eARC in exchange for honest review.

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Maine Student Book Award Nominee for 2022|2023

This is a super fun nonfiction look at some of the strange creatures of the ocean. With fun pull out pages, this is sure to entice reluctant readers.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved this fascinating book about unusual sea creatures. It is interactive, imaginative, and informative. Highly recommend!

[Tara Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about so many new wonderful and strange sea creatures.

[Kulveen Virdee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite childrens book finds, perfect for spooky kids.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Strangest Thing in the Sea: And Other Curious Creatures of the Deep, written by Rachel Poliquin and illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler, is a children's nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on October 5 2021. A look at some very strange creatures in the sea --- but which is the strangest? A feathery tutu dancing through the water? A tiptoeing rock wearing a wig? A mountain of skulls on the ocean floor? Not everything is quite as it seems in this fascinating exploration of 12 bizarre and little-known sea animals. Each creature is introduced with an imaginative first-person depiction of its appearance, accompanied by an artistic interpretation and the question, “Am I the strangest thing in the sea?” Then, open the gatefold, and an illustration and full description of the actual creature in its habitat are revealed, along with the tantalizing answer that, no, this is not the strangest thing in the sea. That is, until the last creature, which is the strangest. But what could it be?

I enjoyed The Strangest Thing in the Sea very much. I thought the artwork matched the text very well, and the detail and imagination on each page showed great skill. I thought the use of gatefolds was a good choice, and the execution was on point. The page layout, and book organization as a whole, was very good. I enjoyed the balance of whimsy in the imagined version oft he creatures balanced with solid information. I have to admit that I was already very familiar with most of the animals featured, but I think the approach and chosen information was great.I really liked that a glossary and chart showing the different zones of the sea and where the featured animals live were included. I learned a few new things, and I think readers of a variety of ages will be highly engaged and interested in this book.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this struck me as a really inventive way to portray the oddities of life at the bottom of the sea. We get to see something mysterious asking us to consider how odd it looks – one is a pile of skulls, one is Melies' Man in the Moon's head underwater, and so on. We then lift the flap and lo and behold we're looking at the real thing and not the artistic illusion the creatures and book's creators have conspired to imply. Lifting and unfolding more we get to the facts – the statistics for the critters (the sunfish can weigh two tons and be the height of an elephant) – and a proper written introduction to the bizarre nature of what mother nature has come up with.

I did guess the surprise answer here to what is oddest, but more importantly I think the book had not one but two missed opportunities. The Plastic Patches that are reaching continental size – they could have been mentioned here, for even though they do not fit the biological brief they are bloody weird and bloody important to be taught about. Also, I have to say this of every book that devotes itself to superlatives in the world of botany and biology – they should by default have just one simple spread explaining the science of evolution to show us how and why these oddities were formed. It was annoying to have to say it in so many reviews, and it's just as annoying now one such book has actually done what I wanted.

Still, this volume at hand is a very fine one, well-produced with a good, quirky concept and some very well-crafted artwork. The paper engineering will need to be good – I saw it digitally – for this will be one in routine use in the school libraries it's destined for.

[Athena Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book is really something special.
The Strangest Thing in the Sea is a guessing game in book form that goes through a list of very weird creatures in the ocean to figure out what the strangest thing in the sea really is. It is phenomenal! I've always had a fascination with the ocean, and young me would have gone wild for this book. Current me is going wild for this book! You can tell that this book is written by someone who really loves what they're writing about. Each creature describes itself, and each one has a distinct voice. It's educational yet conversational, chock full of facts about strange sea creatures. I was pleased that this book talked about creatures I've never even heard of, like Barreleye Fish (how was THIS not the weirdest?), Giant Larvacean, Siphonophore, and more, instead of the usual sea creatures found in kid's books. I guarantee you'll learn something new and have fun doing it!

The true shining stars of this book are the illustrations. I mean, they are BEYOND. Absolutely gorgeous, stunning, amazing. I want prints of the illustrations all over my walls.

I believe that the physical editions of this book are going to have flaps and folding pages, which I can't wait to see!

I highly recommend this book to anybody, especially those who love weird creatures, the ocean, and learning something new!

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Presenting sea creatures weird and wonderful, each page spread initially shares what something resembles asking if it is the weirdest thing in the sea, and then a fold out reveals the real creature with facts about it.

I had heard of most of the critters in this book, though I do read a lot and one of those reads recently was the Weird But True Ocean by National Geographic Kids which included several of these wacky-looking creatures so I may not be the best judge on the selection. I'm guessing most kids won't have read as much and will find many of these new and astounding critters to them. All the pages are illustrated, but they are done in such a way kids should be able to recognize the real thing from these illustrations. The fold outs are clever, and I agree with what Poliquin thought was the weirdest thing in the sea. Easily scared kids may want to steer clear of this as the goblin shark is portrayed as looking like a witch and is equally creepy looking in reality. The vampire squid is initially portrayed as an underwater vampire too, though I think it looks kind of cute in the realistic illustration.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

With so many strange things in the sea, how do we pick which is the strangest? Part puzzle, part science book, part story book, part text book, part funny antidote, The Strangest Thing in the Sea is a richly illustrated introduction to some of Earth's more unusual sea-beings. I shared this title with my 5 year old and we had an absolute blast reading through the facts, examining the spectacular illustrations and giggling at some of the quirky little tidbits packed into this book. It's so well balanced, not overwhelming, uses appropriate language for most learning ages and a BLAST for anyone interested in the more eclectic side of animal kind. This is an absolutely fantastic addition to an elementary child's library or an introductory nudge to get your little one interested in some basic critter and ocean science! Love love loved it!

I was provided with a digital advanced copy of The Strangest Thing in the Sea via NetGalley in return for an honest review. I very much appreciate the opportunity to read this title and to share my opinions and the responses of my curious little one.

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love it when a nonfiction book is riveting and I enjoy every word. This is such a book. The author does a good job of giving the sea creatures personalities; they are shy or sneaky or cooperative, etc.. The author uses similes and metaphors that create vivid images and the illustrator did an amazing job illustrating those. The hairy frogfish looks like a "tiptoeing rock wearing a wig". Readers get to see the simile first and then the real creature after opening a flap. We learn detailed facts in sidebars and general descriptions in the text. The author did a fantastic job of choosing sea creatures that are uncommon and fascinating. The strangest thing in the sea at the end makes perfect sense. My favorite sea creature was the barreleye fish because you can see inside its head. In the end, there is an image that shows ocean depths and where to find each creature. This is a brilliant nonfiction book about sea creatures.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to twelve sea creatures who bizarre and otherworldly. Each is introduced with a first-person riddlelike statement about its appearance, followed by a fanciful version of the creature described, such as the Hairy Frog Fish, compared to a witchlike figure, and the vampire squid, compared to a vampire. These are accompanied by the question: "Am I the strangest thing in the sea?" A gatefold reveals a realistic illustration of the creature in its habitat, along with the response it is not the strangest thing in the sea. Poliquin explains how their physical and special features help the creatures survive and shares statistics about size, prey, habitat, and depth. Byron Eggenschwiler appropriately murky, unearthly illustrations are rendered in a palette of blues, greens, and browns reflecting the ocean setting with occasional pops of yellow and pink.

[Danielle Robertson Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily one of my favorite ocean books ever. I think what really adds to the theme of things being strange, is that this is a flipbook where part of the picture looks absolutely absurd, and the other part lifts away to reveal that, in fact, yes, the real ocean creature does look this silly, just slightly different. A giant moon face with little legs? Yep, that's a sunfish for you. It really does look this awkward.

I absolutely loved reading this to my kids. I also loved how you could modify the parts you read to meet the age of your kids. Specifically, as a grown up, I enjoyed reading the little blurbs on the side. but my kids just wanted to see the big words and the flip. Everyone was happy.

[Lagobond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept & execution (weird/creepy things turn into sea creatures when you lift the flap, with info). It just doesn't entice me for some reason. I typically find deep sea critters fascinating, but this felt formulaic and dry, in the way of many children's nonfiction books that rattle off a bunch of facts. As a big fan of the Superpower Field Guide and Polite Predators series by the same author, I expected more (sorry Rachel Poliquin, you've spoiled me!).

[Vidya Tiru · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this exploration of deep-sea creatures. Each creature is stranger than the other, or well, equally strange as far as I am concerned (except for one!). Each two-page spread features one fascinating creature with stunning illustrations, a brief lyrical hello & a detailed introduction from the creature itself. In addition, there are fun factoids across the page. A great gift for all who love exploring and learning about the wonders of our natural world. I know I learned a lot (despite other similar reads and documentaries from earlier!).

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital-rc of the book. These are my honest opinions.

[Mrs.MakesReadingFun · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS OUR NEW FAVOURITE NON-FICTION!

This absolutely works as a read-aloud, and I've read it now to classes in kindergarten through to grade 7!!! Showcase each creature- and let them guess what it is! Then give them an abridged version of all the super cool facts- just WAIT for them all to be WOWED!!!

It's also perfect to read through from beginning to end- and is a treasure for any home, classroom, or library!

The illustrations are unbelievable- be sure to look for the hidden scuba diver or submarine on each page too.

Canadian author & illustration- local to Vancouver & Calgary.

GET THIS BOOK! :)

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun and informative! The illustrations are lovely and the execution is very creative. I enjoyed the playful way through which the animal biographies are conveyed. My only disappointment was when I reached the very end and a human being was portrayed as "the strangest thing in the sea"—how boring and anthropocentric! The "disguise" for the human diver doesn't even make sense, and I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I wonder what kids actually think about getting to the last page and uncovering a boring ole human being.

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book - and so did all 3 of the kids! This book has really fun foldout pages to talk about what someone MIGHT think these creatures look like, and then open the page to find out what they actually are like and why. Also, don’t let the idea of a foldout page make you think this is for very little kids - this is definitely for 7-10 year olds. Creative and fun illustrations done super well, and fantastic facts about creatures under the sea. Turns out the strangest creature in the sea might surprise you!

[Paul Decker · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book as an eARC from Hachette Book Group via Edelweiss. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This is a great book for kids interested in weird animals and the ocean. This nonfiction book has facts, poetry, and great artwork. It's both informative and fun. The animals covered include giant siphonophores, peacock mantis shrimp, and yeti crabs. There's even a glossary at the end. This book gets a 5/5 from me.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I did already know about most of the creatures in this book, the information was told in an interesting and captivating way with clever illustrations. Curious-minded kids and adults with an interest in sea animals will find this book fascinating!

Previously unknown creatures (to me) were the feather star, giant larvacean, and barreleye fish. I was so curious about them I just had to look up real images.

[Susan Underbrink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. While this is a children's book, I think some adults may learn about some new strange creatures! This is a really fun book, filled with oddities and some fun facts. Who knew some of the bizarre creatures that lie in the depths of the ocean? I think most kids will love this book. The illustrations are fantastic as well. 4.5 stars

[Daphnee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Strangest Thing in the Sea, it was really interesting! If you know a kid fascinated by fish and ocean life, this book will be perfect for them. Greatly recommending it plus the illustrations are a bit creepy yet beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook copy in exchange of a honest review.

[Marte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This is a great guide to strange things in the sea, and I think it had a good balance between text, pictures and models. I also really like how diverse the selection was, and how the conclusion is that the strangest thing in the ocean is us: the humans. The only thing I wish is that it had more facts about the animals!

[luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publiusher via Netgalley for sending this !

So pretty illustrated and interesting for people of all ages!
I've always been fascinated and terrifyed of the unknown sea, and this one was a nice little "watered down" "dive in". Puns intended.
Lovely illustrations and so nice everyday.things comparisons.
Loved it!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is chock full of unique aquatic species. Each species is thoroughly explained, and is compared to things we are more familiar with. For kids who are really into learning about the creatures who live way down deep, I’d suggest getting a few books on the subject. The graphics here appear fuzzy and might confuse a child as to what a Swimming Head, for example, really looks like.