Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World Under the Sea
(Anatomy)

Gr 7 Up--Following the successful approach used with Farm Anatomy, Nature Anatomy, and Food Anatomy, Rothman introduces a wide array of ocean-related facts through words and pictures. Coverage includes marine geology, plant and animal life, and the impact of humans on oceans around the world. The writing is clear, lively, and informative. Each spread is filled with a variety of colorful, appealing, and scientifically accurate drawings. Some pages identify the anatomy of a single species with captions; others show several related species with a paragraph of description; some list just name and size. Length and/or weight is provided for many species drawings but not all. Useful diagrams demonstrate concepts such as tidal zones and ocean currents. The levels of information vary from topic to topic. Readers learn many fascinating facts in a spread about nudibranchs, for example, while the walrus receives just a single drawing and its typical weight. There is no index, but the table of contents is fairly detailed. The somewhat loose structure fits with the sketchbook-like feel of the volume. This series is aimed at adult readers, and some assumed knowledge of terms reflects this, but the attractive and edifying drawings expand the potential audience to younger learners. VERDICT A fact-filled, browsable title with strong visual appeal.--Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville P.L., OR