Coral Reef Food Chains

by Kelley Macaulay, Bobbie Kalman

Coral Reef Food Chains takes readers on an exciting underwater journey to one of the world's most fascinating habitats. Stunning photographs and detailed illustrations help show - the relationships between the plants, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores that live in and around the reef - the dangers to these fragile habitats - why coral reefs are described as the rainforests of the sea Teacher's guide available.

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2005

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I didn't find this book totally gripping, I did learn some interesting things.

*Reefs are made up of the skeletons of dead corals. New coral polyps attach to the skeletons and form living corals. As they die, it adds another layer of skeletons and so on.

*Seaweeds are large algae. Algae produces most of the oxygen ocean and land animals need to stay alive.

*Some octopuses can detach their arms to get away and then grow new ones. (I'm surprised I'd never heard/remembered this fact.)

The book ends with a message to protect the coral reefs and how we can do so. I love when books end with a message of living more clean.

Obviously, this is a book for the fifth graders. I'm not sure I'll be able to get any of them to read it. They aren't big into nonfiction and I've struggled this year getting them to read at all. Still, there's always someone that surprises me and goes for the nonfiction books.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of an informational text series. I learned some things!

[Erienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for learning about coral reefs. Kids learned a lot and the photos are beautiful.