Author: Kurt Cyrus
Publisher: HOUGHTON-MIFFLIN CO, Jul 2008
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN: 0-15-216771-4
Synopsis
Take a plunge into the strange, surprising depths of this world inside the sea. In 21 wet & witty poems, follow a lone sardine in search of its lost school within the dark halls of a great coral reef. A realm awash with the weird & the wondrous, the comical & the spooky. No matter how long you stay, this is one hotel you won?t want to leave! Color illus; 11.5x9 inches, 40 pgs.
More Information
Take a plunge into the strange, surprising depths of this world inside the sea. In 21 wet and witty poems, Kurt Cyrus follows a lone sardine in search of its lost school within the dark halls of a great coral reef.
From a devious stonefish and a slippery sea snake to a blowfish with attitude and a line of goose-stepping lobsters, here is a realm awash with the weird and the wondrous, the comical and the spooky. No matter how long you stay, this is one hotel you won?t want to leave!
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING:
Untitled verses describe a colorful array of ocean creatures, both benign and dangerous, observed by a lone sardine searching for the swirling band of companions that he lost when the school spun out of the range of an invading marlin. "Where did everyone go?/One sardine. Apart. Alone./Welcome to the Mystery Zone." The handsome, busy views convey mystery with clever placement of creatures?some unnamed, some partially hidden, some more realistic than others. Though the sardine is mostly a passing observer, his continuing presence lends a bit of story line to the energetic scenes of underwater life. Moments of fear and danger thread throughout. "Life in the sea offers little that's free;/There's always a devil to pay." There's plenty to see and ponder though some oblique references and the sometimes mocking tone will elude many children. A thumbnail picture-glossary names some 28 species of marine life but provides no explanations or added information. Overall, this is a cheerful tour for browsers that also offers possibilities for shared reading. ? Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
