Marine Biologists on a Dive

April 1, 2022
Grades K-2 Maggie and her fellow marine biologists dive into the ocean, where they study a gentle whale pod. Everyone has a job to do: one scientist sketches on a waterproof pad, another films social behavior, and Maggie records their songs. After the team frees a whale calf from a net, the scientists return to the lab to analyze their data, ultimately making some terrific discoveries. The instructive text is educational and entertaining, and young readers will thrill in seeing the diverse group of kids take the reins of scientific discovery. Playful illustrations capture the cool, endless depths of the ocean and the bustle of a busy lab, and discussion of the scientific method and ways to pursue an interest in marine biology round out the back matter. A charming introduction to marine biology and scientific inquiry from the Kid Scientists series (2 titles).

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April 1, 2022

Gr 3-4-A youthful team of marine biologists take a dive in this realistic story. Maggie and her team study ocean life. Each of the team members has an important role to fulfill. Today, after spending months researching, the team is able to dive in the ocean to study a traveling pod of whales. Their main focus is to study the whales to learn more about how they communicate. Fleiss does an acceptable job at educating readers about marine biology through Maggie and her team, although the word choices and poor pacing can slow the plotting. Upper elementary students may have difficulty relating to the seemingly youthful scientists. They may also struggle to care about the story. The problem of a whale wrapped in a fishing net seems tacked on. Powell's illustrations are whimsical and bring a sense of life to the story. However, the facial features of the team lack personality. VERDICT For career-day collections, this is a flawed but cheerful glimpse of marine biology and scientific teamwork.-Brittany McMahon

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April 15, 2022
What do marine biologists do? To answer that question, Fliess focuses on fieldwork, certainly the most glamorous part of the job. After months of research, Maggie, a Black marine biologist, and her racially diverse team dive into the ocean to swim with humpback whales. They each have a different task, related to their personal research questions, and they've each brought different tools. The straightforward text offers general information about humpback whales, including migration, whale song, the use of fluke-slapping as an alarm signal, and diet (krill), as well as the importance of a hypothesis, part of the scientific method. At the conclusion of their research, the team members free a young whale calf trapped in a fishing net--an episode likely to appeal to young readers and listeners as well as a subtle reminder of the problem of trash in our waters. Depicting characters with round, oversize heads, Powell's illustrations make the dive look both easy and fun, with scenes underwater and in the lab. One final spread includes relevant labels on images (flukes, dorsal ridge, plankton). Backmatter provides general information on marine biologists, what they do, and how to train to be one. There's also a quick review of how Maggie and her group's actions correspond to the scientific method. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A highly simplified but inviting overview of marine biology. (suggested reading) (Informational picture book. 4-7)

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