Constellation of the Deep
Constellation of the Deep
Select a format:
Publisher's Hardcover ©2021--
To purchase this item, you must first login or register for a new account.
Tundra Books
Annotation: A stylish picture book about an underwater quest for an elusive, bioluminescent plant perfect for young conservationists... more
 
Reviews: 2
Catalog Number: #287921
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Publisher: Tundra Books
Copyright Date: 2021
Edition Date: 2019 Release Date: 06/08/21
Pages: 1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN: 0-7352-6896-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-7352-6896-8
Dewey: 448
Dimensions: 24 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

After trekking high upon a mountain to find a unique flower in The Golden Glow (2018), Fox continues his search for strange plants, this time diving deep into the ocean. As Fox and his cousin, Wolf, are walking a coastal trail, a seagull tells them about an amazing plant: the constellation of the deep, which grows on the bottom of the ocean and glows in the dark. The gray skies of the geometric illustrations give way to blues as Fox explores different layers of the ocean, from a "forest" of algae to a coral reef to the mountainous ocean floor. In this blend of fiction and nonfiction, labeled spreads (e.g., coastal marine life and types of coral) are interspersed with the narrative. Short on oxygen and disappointed by not finding the elusive plant, Fox begins his ascent, aiding a whale caught in plastic on the way. During a vegetarian meal with Wolf, Fox discovers his camera took a photo of the constellation when it fell on the ocean floor. A delight for quieter adventurers.

Kirkus Reviews

Fascinated by plants, Fox journeys deep underwater in search of one that glows in dark ocean depths.The star of The Golden Glow (2018) has another sweetly satisfying adventure. While he and his cousin Wolf are hiking along the coast, a sea gull tells them of a luminescent underwater plant. Now Fox has a new goal. Donning borrowed scuba gear and bringing along an underwater camera, he explores an aquatic meadow, a kelp forest, and a coral reef before reaching a deep abyss, where he notices his camera is missing. Flouw's illustrations alternate pages of storyline with others that display an array of labeled examples: diving equipment, creatures of the near shore, species of underwater vegetation (giant algae), and shapes of colorful coral. Originally published in French, this Canadian title is unusual in its specificity about plants but predictable in its inclusion of the problem of marine plastic trash. Just inside the abyss, Fox encounters and unwraps a whale entangled in a fish net filled with trash-and, fortuitously, Fox's camera, which captured a picture of the glowing plant in its fall. While hiking, fully anthropomorphic Fox and Wolf wear hoodies and trekking pants; later they dine on grape pâté sandwiches and mushroom juice. The varying blues of the ocean become dark and deep; the lighter colors of the shoreline suggest the edges of a day; and the warm tones of Wolf's den affirm the comfort of home. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A fresh, original introduction to the underwater world. (Picture book. 3-7)

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
ALA Booklist (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)
Kirkus Reviews
Reading Level: 2.0
Interest Level: K-3
Lexile: AD700L

A stylish picture book about an underwater quest for an elusive, bioluminescent plant perfect for young conservationists and fans of Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Fox loves nature, and enjoys discovering strange and fascinating plants. He especially loves the seaside, and often walks the salty coastal trails with his cousin Wolf. One day, Seagull tells the two about an especially interesting underwater plant called the constellation of the deep. According to Seagull, it grows on the bottom of the ocean, but no one knows exactly where, and it glows in the dark. Before long, Fox has donned his diving equipment, including a wet suit, a snorkel, a diving mask, fins and more, and sets off on an underwater quest to find this incredible plant. Along the way, Fox observes many different kinds of ocean life, like crabs, starfish, algae and an amazing array of corals. He also comes across some underwater friends who try to help guide him to the elusive plant. But Fox despairs when he loses his camera -- even if he finds the constellation of the deep, how will he capture this amazing discovery?

With spreads of informational content interspersed throughout, Constellation of the Deep is a charming picture book featuring the same character from The Golden Glow that details the wonders of the underwater world and celebrates observing the beauty of nature.


*Prices subject to change without notice and listed in US dollars.
Perma-Bound bindings are unconditionally guaranteed (excludes textbook rebinding).
Paperbacks are not guaranteed.
Please Note: All Digital Material Sales Final.