Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic

K-Gr 3--In her second book, Meganck (People are Wild) follows a tiny speck in the ocean as it looks for a place to stay and grow. This speck's quest is compared to a barnacle, a child, and more abstractly, the stars. In contrast to the first book's shorter text and succinct message, this one's meaning is less obvious. Although targeted for young readers, the intentions are abstract; the journey to find a place in the world is hard and "the safest thing to do is hide," but a hidden speck would "miss out on the adventure." Reading this story with older children can lead to philosophical discussions and connections. The illustrations are undoubtedly the highlight of the book, showing a vibrant ocean world with colorful sea creatures painted in bright watercolors. VERDICT While the illustrations are sure to capture the attention of children, the deeper message may be best appreciated by older readers. A supplemental purchase.--Heidi Dechief

Expressive prose and immersive underwater scenes produce a feeling of awe in this contemplative picture book about a tiny oceanic speck's search for a place that feels like home. Amid the toes of human bathers in a tide pool, "countless tiny specks" float forth, weaving among creatures such as a jellyfish, sea turtle, sea urchin, and puffer fish. Their number declines when the specks drift along ("Tossed by waves,// carried by currents,// each speck searching// for a place to stay, and grow"), and a profound moment occurs in the depths, where a single luminous spark glows amid an absorbing inky-hued spread ("One tiny speck/ can get lost in an ocean so vast./ Where big feels bigger,// and small feels smaller"). Still, the speck persists in its journey until it settles on a majestic creaturely perch, and pages zoom outward in successive aerials that contextualize the speck's place in the world. Color layering produces an iridescent chalkiness in Meganck's soothing artwork. Human background characters are portrayed with different skin tones. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)