Zoologist Jess Keating (Pink Is for Blobfish) dives deep into the geological contributions of the curious, tenacious Marie Tharp, who struggled to display her scientific acumen in a time when women "were not supposed to dream of becoming scientists or explorers." Keating's reverent treatment of her subject, coupled with Katie Hickey's (Lumber Jills) spirited illustrations, results in a splendid homage to one of the science world's great thinkers.
As a child growing up in the 1920s, Marie's inquisitiveness and exploration were encouraged by her father but, as she got older, she realized that the world at large didn't believe girls belonged in scientific jobs. Timing, however, worked in Marie's favor: a war took men away from the very jobs she coveted, presenting the opportunity for Marie to prove her mettle mapping the ocean floor. While Keating shares how sexism hindered Marie, she emphasizes the ways this brilliantly creative woman continued following her dreams, "Instead of the vast, open ocean, she dove into her tiny, cramped office.... Marie mapped point, after point, after point.... Soon, Marie wasn't in her office anymore. She was an explorer on the ocean floor." Hickey's playfully quaint watercolor and digital art harmonizes with Keating's words, and the scowling men juxtaposed against a jubilant Marie sends an inspiring message to young dreamers: don't let anything stand in your way.
Ocean Speaks celebrates determination and ingenuity; it celebrates dreams and accomplishments; and most of all it celebrates a curious little girl who became a talented, resourceful woman, leaving a permanent impression on the scientific world. --Jen Forbus, freelancer