Using complex poetry forms and cleverly constructed lines, Bulion pays tribute to sea creatures: "They're hunters and foragers, hiders and peekers, / continuous feeders and one-meal-a-weekers." Informational text accompanies each poem, which, combined with the backmatter on poetic form, makes this a useful interdisciplinary catch. Evans's spare, well-placed hand-colored linoleum block prints hold their own without overwhelming the text. Reading list, websites. Glos.

From snapping shrimp with bubble-shooting claws to the Osedax worm that digests whalebones on the ocean floor, intriguing and unusual sea creatures are introduced in this collection of 18 engaging poems written in a variety of forms. A paragraph or two of identification and explanation follow each poem. This attractive small volume is illustrated with hand-colored linoleum block prints set on a blue-green background that darkens page by page as the reader descends. "Dive In!" introduces the habitat, and, on the last page, "Hooray for the Sea and the ROV" celebrates the ocean and the vehicles humans use to explore its deepest parts. One piece calls for two voices, a leopard sea cucumber and an emperor shrimp. Shape poems introduce the violet snail and a swarm of krill. These poems lend themselves to reading aloud, and many are short and catchy enough to be easily memorized. Concluding with a helpful glossary, a clear explanation of the poetic forms that points out rhymes, patterns and beats, suggested further resources and acknowledgements, this is an ideal title for cross-curricular connections. This gathering of humorous poetry and fascinating facts should be welcomed as a companion to Bulion and Evans' previous collaboration, Hey There, Stink Bug! (2006)—even the surprise among the school of krill on the endpapers will make readers smile. (Informational poetry. 8-12)

Dexterous formal verse about sea creatures pairs with pleasingly abstract block prints in this informative, fun collection. A "kyrielle" shrewdly characterizes its elusive subject: "We don't know why the convict fish/ Lives so completely hermitish,/ Skulks hiding, never swims about,/ But eats its young then spits them out." Sidebars further educate readers about the menagerie, which includes bottlenose dolphins, sea spiders, and an egg sac-toting squid, while appended notes offer a crash course on poetic form. Beguiling lines like "Osedax, the legless worm,/ Lands on whale-fall, digs in firm./ Eyeless, mouthless, gills like plumes,/ Bone-devouring zombie blooms" should spark readers' interest in poetry and marine biology alike. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Gr 5-9 This collection of 18 poems about marine life begins with an invitation to explore. The first few lines of "Dive In!" read: "Let's visit a habitat shallow and deep/And boiling hot, where acids seep...." The fact that parts of the ocean are boiling hot is just the first of many surprises along the way. The word "odd" in the subtitle is appropriate, since the focus is on animals like the sea spider, which "...sports guts and eggs in its legs." Each poem is accompanied by a paragraph or two of factual information. Some selections are short, others are longer. Endnotes describe the many formal structures the poet uses, from double dactyls to Spenserian stanzas. The attractive design features appealing colors and block-print illustrations. Overall, this book is for an older audience than one would think at first glance. It will probably be best appreciated by middle school age and up, and will be ideal for some classroom settings. With its mix of poems and information, Stephen R. Swinburne's Ocean Soup: Tide-Pool Poems (Charlesbridge, 2010) is similar but for a younger audience. Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL