How the Sea Came to Be (And All the Creatures in It)

Jennifer Berne possesses a tremendous gift for sharing the wonders of nonfiction with young readers. Whether she's introducing them to Emily Dickinson (On the Wings of Words) or sparking curiosity about Albert Einstein (On a Beam of Light), she expertly reels them into a world they perhaps never expected to love. How the Sea Came to Be is no different. The rich, rhythmic language of Berne's subaquatic exploration is as powerful as her subject. When the stunning verse is experienced alongside the striking art from Amanda Hall (Out of This World), the reading experience is nothing short of mesmerizing.

The collaboration is divided into three parts: "the birth of the sea," "the birth of life," and "all that the sea came to be." Author and illustrator first explore the rage and violence of nature through storms and eruptions, then delve into the miracle of teeny-tiny life forms emerging, developing, and populating the watery world. Once readers arrive at the current state of the ocean, Berne explains the layers of aquatic life. Berne and Hall bring readers back to the surface, exploring multitudes of creatures during the ascent and imparting wonderful tidbits and colorful imagery. The pair conclude their journey through space and time on the present-day shores of the ocean.

The breathtaking tour then wraps up with a treasure trove of additional resources readers can mine about organisms, terms, time periods, and more. How the Sea Came to Be should captivate young scientists, historians, and wordsmiths alike. This beautiful picture book is a prize addition to any library. --Jen Forbus, freelancer

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