Picture Book 17

A.    Author: Rebecca L. Johnson

B.     Title: Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures

C.     Illustrations:

D.    Readability: 5

E.      Genre: Informational

F.      Subgenre:   Fiction

G.    Theme: Deep Sea Animals,

H.    Primary and secondary characters:

I.       Award(s) date of publication:  Orbis Pictus Award

J.       Publishing company: Millbrook Press

K.    ISBN number:0-8037-2860-3978-0-7613-4148

L.     Brief summary: The book starts with the journey that would be one of the most important deep sea dives in many years past and to come. Scientists looked for new species and studied species that already were classified. The scientists first started in Maine, on the coast. Looking for any animals that live only the coast, once the animals are found they are put in alcohol to preserve them. Our next stop is Australia, in the coral reefs. The scientists search all day, then they come back to search in the dark. Then they move to open water, collecting sea butterflies, and other deep sea creatures. The remotely operated  underwater vehicle was deployed, looking at screens everyone waits for new discoveries. You see coral the size of trees and zooplankton floating past your window.The further down the water is full of methane and smells like rotten eggs. As the bottom gets closer, tube worms look like bushes. Moving to the North Pole, the ROV heads to the midnight zone. Jellyfish emerge from the deep dark bottom. As you return to the surface, a trawl is released behind the boat, gathering samples of the ground and life forms that get caught in the net. The crew then moves to New Zealand’s water mountains. A Venous fly trap is found at the mountains, along with a squat lobster. Lastly, off to the deepest part of the ocean, a camera free falls from a stable strong stand, at 25,000 feet fish bhave been officially seen. Also a new comb jelly fish is discovered. The main objective in this book is to preserve the ocean, not destroy it.        

M.   Description of how you would use the book with students: I would use this book when discussing the deepest parts of the ocean. No one really is taught about the depths that we cannot see and this book allows us to teach facts that could help students plan their future of marine biology.