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32 pp.
| Candlewick Studio |
September, 2024 |
TradeISBN 9781536234152$19.99
(1)
K-3
A figure stands on the edge of a boat (on the title-page spread) and then dives into the sea, a luminous, full moon shining brightly in the background. Once in the sea, the diver's headlamp leads the way. At a coral reef, "batfish and triggerfish find safe places to rest at night in the holes, caves, and cracks...a reef is like an underwater hotel." We learn that parrotfish make a sleeping bag like "gooey cocoon" constructed from mucus they produce in their glands. When the diver dares to turn off the headlamp, bioluminescent plankton appear like "a constellation of stars." Lu guides readers on a journey revealing a variety of life thriving in a wondrous world. The evocative mixed-media illustrations, mostly rendered in grays with sprinklings of color, leave readers with the distinct feeling of being in unfamiliar territory. The book is bound horizontally; rather than left and right pages, spreads are composed of pages above and below the gutter, creating a below-the-surface perspective. The innovative bookmaking also features heavy-stock pages, many of which include elegantly incorporated flaps providing factual information. Lu has produced a beautiful exploration of the "inky depths" -- a book to dive into again and again.
Reviewer:
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2024