Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

From the broken-off tip of a sargassum plant, a whole community grows in the Sargasso SeaThis appealing title illustrates the remarkable variety of "the ocean's floating golden rainforest," as marine biologist and oceanographer Sylvia Earle puts it in her afterword. Set on and off the shores of Bermuda, the book depicts racially diverse beachgoers making their own whirlpool as Rosenstock describes the enormous whirling area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Sargasso Sea, the result of "five currents [swirling] billions of gallons of water clockwise." Next, she introduces the sargassum, an algae that reproduces by growing anew from broken-off bits. Step by step, the sargassum grows, and other living creatures-crabs, shrimp, swordfish-come. They graze on it, take shelter in it, and feed on smaller inhabitants. Gradually, the population builds up until we see humpback whales and then a happy Black-presenting human swimmer. The author makes clear how interdependent these creatures are and describes the complexity of their world. This deftly told narrative would be grand fun to read aloud. The creatures are introduced in triplet lines: "Crusty bryozoans / feathery hydroids. / Spiraled tube worms." Rosenstock's concise text exudes energy and makes wonderful use of alliteration: "They scavenge. Snatching and shredding." "Water-striders speed on the surface." Roy's gorgeous, watercolorlike illustrations swirl with vibrant hues and would show well to a group.Youngsters will be sucked into this engaging, informative account of a most unusual ecosystem. (map, research note, too much sargassum?, sources)(Informational picture book. 4-8)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Gr 3–6 —Books offer glimpses of worlds unknown, and that's absolutely what this one accomplishes, illuminating the ins and outs of the Sargasso Sea from micro to macro views. It expands from small beginnings to portray a wide world of wonder; starting with the borders, it stretches to sargassum seaweed and the creatures that rely on it for sustenance. Most of the wonder can be found in Roy's gorgeous illustrations. They gloriously grow from the spare nature of a lone seaweed stipe and stretch into golden swirls housing everything from camouflaged crabs to whales. Working with a rich color palette, she uses yellows and blues to create the vastness of the sea from tiny specks. Readers could easily get lost in illustrated details of the animals within the seaweed fronds. They can also easily get lost in the text, which presents the scientific terms simply and without explanation. It's good practice for inference, but younger students may need support. However, there are also some rhythmic portions, nearly sing-song, that may not gel with older children. The text requires a reading sweet spot, in-betweeners with high understanding and high whimsy. The illustrations? There's no barrier to entry there. VERDICT Stellar for middle grade science classrooms, particularly ones studying ocean life or habitats.—Cat McCarrey

Kirkus Reviews

From the broken-off tip of a sargassum plant, a whole community grows in the Sargasso SeaThis appealing title illustrates the remarkable variety of "the ocean's floating golden rainforest," as marine biologist and oceanographer Sylvia Earle puts it in her afterword. Set on and off the shores of Bermuda, the book depicts racially diverse beachgoers making their own whirlpool as Rosenstock describes the enormous whirling area of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Sargasso Sea, the result of "five currents [swirling] billions of gallons of water clockwise." Next, she introduces the sargassum, an algae that reproduces by growing anew from broken-off bits. Step by step, the sargassum grows, and other living creatures-crabs, shrimp, swordfish-come. They graze on it, take shelter in it, and feed on smaller inhabitants. Gradually, the population builds up until we see humpback whales and then a happy Black-presenting human swimmer. The author makes clear how interdependent these creatures are and describes the complexity of their world. This deftly told narrative would be grand fun to read aloud. The creatures are introduced in triplet lines: "Crusty bryozoans / feathery hydroids. / Spiraled tube worms." Rosenstock's concise text exudes energy and makes wonderful use of alliteration: "They scavenge. Snatching and shredding." "Water-striders speed on the surface." Roy's gorgeous, watercolorlike illustrations swirl with vibrant hues and would show well to a group.Youngsters will be sucked into this engaging, informative account of a most unusual ecosystem. (map, research note, too much sargassum?, sources)(Informational picture book. 4-8)