Catherine Barr & Brendan Kearney Books

A Turtle’s View of the Ocean Blue takes the reader on a tour of our world’s oceans and seas, guided by a turtle. In fact, the turtle is quickly overshadowed (in a good way) by the facts and figures he presents. The wealth of information – about the physical geography of the five oceans and the creatures that live there – is fascinating. Some of it, such as details of the water cycle, will be familiar to adults and is directly relevant to the National Curriculum programmes of study in Science and Geography. But I was impressed to see how much more than that the book covered and found myself captivated on every page by the complexity and variety of the different underwater regions.

The depth and breadth of the information is matched by the glowing illustrations which look, appropriately, to have been painted in watercolours. Shades of blue predominate, as might be expected from the book title, but the details of plants, animals and geographical features show the technicolour range of life within the seas and oceans. The front cover actually shimmers with some of the details picked out in gold. As well as being packed with interesting content, this book is a beautiful object which will surely attract children to pick it up and browse through it.

The book would be a brilliant addition to school book corners and libraries. The reading level is challenging enough for Year 6, but it’s divided into smaller nuggets, making it suitable for much younger children too. Key Stage 1 children will appreciate the beauty of the illustrations and learn much from the pictures but it would be best placed in Key Stage 2. It would support curriculum teaching in Science (especially in Year 4) and in Geography and any work on conservation and the environment. Best of all, it’s fun to read the facts and look at the pictures. This makes it perfect for Reading for Pleasure time too. I recommend it to children who love non-fiction and books of amazing facts.