Sea Creatures from the Sky

by Ricardo Cortés (Author)

Sea Creatures from the Sky
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
"The phenomenal artwork is what truly makes this book special. The landscapes of the sea, the sky, and outer space are breathtaking. Cortés's different blending and thinning of the colors create a world of beauty. This fascinating tale of perspective and point of view makes a fine addition for most collections."--School Library Journal"Sumptuous paintings and an engaging conceit make this a terrific read-aloud choice."--Wall Street Journal"A stunningly illustrated story of a shark who has a frightening encounter with 'sea creatures' who come from above."--Brooklyn Daily Eagle"Cortés' premise has child appeal and even some STEM utility, and his lovely illustrations invite contemplation of the teeming worlds above and beneath the sea...The depictions of the curve of the Earth in space and of the sky--cloudy or starry, always vast--are lush...Enjoy this tale's accomplished visuals and percussive rhymes."--Kirkus Reviews"[A] memorable and beautifully illustrated children's picture book...Ricardo Cortés's stunning seascapes follow the adventures of a shark that has a story to share about creatures who live above the ocean...Filled with humor and warmth, Sea Creatures from the Sky will charm and entertain children."--Midwest Book Review"One can applaud Cortés for inviting us to learn about sharks...children will enter and emerge from this book with a new understanding of humans' interest in sharks and ocean life."--New York Journal of Books"Stunning illustrations immerse us into understanding the shark's perspective. A valuable concept that can change how we think of any fellow earth dwelling creature be it on earth or in the sea."--The Reading Ninja"The story moves in a poetic ebb and flow of an ocean current, and is well balanced by the very colorful illustrations."--Inspire the Muse"A beautifully rhymed and painted book that is almost philosophically asking about the being and existence of otherness. Proved and tested with my two-year-old, who became very tranquil and curious looking at the beautiful seascape."--The Manolist"This is a gorgeously illustrated view of the world by a shark."--The Cyberlibrarian"A beautifully illustrated book that is a magical and compelling read!"--MyShelf"Enchanting. You feel like you're in the water swimming with the other fish...The images alone are worth the price of the book."--Journey of a BooksellerA shark, swimming the seas, encounters...Aliens.Will anyone believe it is true?Sea Creatures from the Sky is a gorgeously illustrated children's picture book from the New York Times best-selling illustrator of Seriously, Just Go to Sleep. Cortés's stunning seascapes follow the adventures of a shark that has a story to share about creatures who live above the ocean. Our shark encounters strange-looking creatures who resemble nice, caring marine biologists. But after they release it back into the ocean, the shark cannot find one friend to believe its tale. Filled with humor and warmth, Sea Creatures from the Sky will charm children and parents alike.
Select format:
Hardcover
$16.95

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--Abducted from its life underwater, a shark goes on a strange journey from the sea into the sky. There, it is handled and prodded and then released by two strange creatures, who readers will recognize as marine biologists. Once the shark is released by the scientists, it goes back to the other sea critters to tell them of the unbelievable encounter. Cortés's story certainly presents a unique perspective, but its rhyming scheme may be off-putting; sentence length changes frequently, and the meter is often off by a beat ("One bite, that's all it took. For this little fish had a hook"), so reading aloud can prove to be challenging. The phenomenal artwork is what truly makes this book special. The landscapes of the sea, the sky, and outer space are breathtaking. Cortés's different blending and thinning of the colors create a world of beauty. VERDICT This fascinating tale of perspective and point of view makes a fine addition for most collections.--Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"I loved everything about this story. The art is just beautiful...It's a look at preservation and oceanography from a different point of view, and makes a realistic-looking shark less threatening, even likable. Kids will appreciate the misunderstood predator; how many times have kids been called out for exaggerating a recollection that is absolutely true from their point of view?...This one is a must-add to storytimes and books where sharks and undersea life are popular."
Mom Read It (blog)

"The story...challenges readers of all ages to honor the voices of others and their lived experiences...The cadence of its rhyming and its luminous illustrations of ocean depths, as well as an expansive sky-to-universe stretching palette, will render a child's wonderment for learning about a world that is brand-new."
What's the 411

"This is a lovely, gently philosophical book that reads like an aquatic Twilight Zone episode...An engaging and beautifully illustrated tale."
The Fan Brothers, authors/illustrators of The Night Gardener

"What must a shark makes of the scientists who study her? I won't be able to look at the animals I tag quite the same way ever again."
Dr. Alistair Dove, marine biologist, Georgia Aquarium

Ricardo Cortés

Ricardo Cortés has written and illustrated books about tomatoes, grass, the history of coffee, and Coca-Cola. He is the illustrator of a #1 New York Times best-selling classic for parents about putting their children to bed, as well as the G-rated follow-up, Seriously, Just Go to Sleep. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, and on rmcortes.com.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781617756160
Lexile Measure
480
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Black Sheep
Publication date
April 20, 2018
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV029000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | General
JUV057000 - Juvenile Fiction | Stories in Verse (see also Poetry)
JUV002170 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Marine Life
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Sharks
Marine animals
Marine scientists

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