OUR UNDERWATER WORLD by Sue Lowell Gallion: A Nonfiction Picture Book and a Giveaway

Some of you may remember a few years ago when I shared Sue Gallion's unique board book, OUR WORLD (Phaidon, 2020).  Since that book came out, she published OUR SEASONS: THE WORLD IN WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, and AUTUMN and now has another book in the series. OUR UNDERWATER WORLD: A FIRST DIVE INTO OCEANS, LAKES, and RIVERS (also illustrated by the talented Lisk Feng) is a poetic exploration of our natural waterways. 

Open the book--and you have a globe!
Photo courtesy Sue Gallion

BOOK REVIEW

The book opens with a gentle invitation:

Rivers run, oceans flow, 

Ever wonder what's below?

 

Let's explore, take a dive....

                    (page turn)

                   The underwater world's alive!

 

With soft pastel illustrations and sensory poetry, young readers will be drawn into the world of fish, mangrove trees, sharks, kelp, and coral.  

Although the poems are simple, each word packs a punch. Consider this illustration:

paired with these words:

Mountain streams

in liquid motion

Rivers stream into the ocean. 

 Readers discover:

Sea life thrives 

In layered light,

                   (page turn) 

 

In deepest ocean,

Always night.

The book concludes with a global perspective and a simple plea for conservation.

A world deserving,

Our protection

                    (page turn)

 

Around the globe,

Our blue connection.

For older readers, each page has a text box with more in-depth information. Having read the book, I can unequivocally say--I didn't know there were more volcanoes underwater than on land and that whales swallow thousands of krill in a single mouthful!

Sue Gallion is a masterful poet whose love for our earth caresses every page. This book will be a "treasure trove" -- like a precious coral reef -- for home and school libraries. I picture art and language art units culminating with bulletin boards stocked full of underwater scenes inspired by OUR UNDERWATER WORLD. It will become a kindergarten through second-grade classroom favorite. Activities related to the book will be on Sue's website in April. 

GIVEAWAY

Do you want to win a copy of this book? Leave me a comment by March 7. Let me know if you are an educator or librarian, or if you sign up to receive my blog. I'll put your name in the hat twice. U.S. addresses only. If you are new to my blog make sure you leave your email address.

By the way, Sue has another book coming out in the fall from Phaidon. We can look forward to hearing all about it!

Our World: A First Book of Geography--A Review and Giveaway

My friends who are picture book writers, parents, grandparents, or teachers will LOVE Our World: A First Book of Geography, As I said in an email to the author, Sue Lowell Gallion, it is one of those books that you read and say to yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?" And then you have to go buy it for a young reader in your life.  

REVIEW

Our World is not only a beautifully written and illustrated board book about our world but when folded back it becomes a freestanding globe with a magnetic closure. Excuse the pun, but this is an out-of-this-world concept. The illustrator, Lisk Feng, did an outstanding job of bringing Sue Gallion's words to life. 

Our World begins with,

Many places to explore,
From mountain peaks to ocean floor.
Look around you, step outside . . .
Find forests tall
And grasslands wide. 

The poem continues by mentioning jungles, deserts, polar caps, bodies of water, mountains, etc.  

On the opposite page from each poem, there is a brief exposition of the natural wonders that are vividly depicted. 

This page describes the rivers, lakes, and oceans. The text reads:

High in the mountains, snow melts and flows downstream to form rivers. Other rivers begin as underground springs or lakes. Rivers flow into oceans. Did you know that most of our planet is covered in oceans? Fish, coral, and other animals thrive in shallow waters. Some creatures also live in the cold, black ocean depths. In some places, the ocean is deeper than the tallest mountains on Earth!

One of the pages shows the whole world. The poem reads, 

Continents large, islands small, 
Salty seas surrounding all.

The second to the last page shows a view of earth from outer space as an astronaut might see it. The exposition reads, "The light and warmth from the sun is what makes life on Earth possible for plants, animals, and humans too." The poem reads,

Our blue planet,

Warmed by sun:

The reader turns to the last page and finds a sweet illustration with this simple, yet poignant text:

A living home for everyone.

Because of the way in which the book is constructed, toddlers will enjoy flipping the pages and seeing how the magnets make the globe stick together. Pre-readers will enjoy rhythmic poetry. The text is informative for second through fourth graders, which makes the book a great preschool and elementary school resource when studying geography and ecosystems. 

You'll find an activity guide here and a hands-on activity guide to make an inflatable globe here.

GIVEAWAY

Interested in winning this book? I bet you are! Please leave me a comment with your email address (if you are new to my blog). Giveaway ends July 24 at 5 PM! As always, if you share on social media or subscribe to my blog, you receive an extra chance. Just let me know what you do!