Ocean Seasons

by Ron Hirschi, Kirsten Carlson

Overview

Seasons change in the ocean much as they do on land. Spring brings new plants and baby animals, summer oceans glow with sparkly plankton lights, and autumn winds blow across the open water. In winter the humpback whales migrate to warmer waters, just as some land animals move to warmer climates. The cycle begins again as they return to the northern waters in the spring. In fun, fanciful form, Ocean Seasons introduces plants and animals that are joined through the mix of seasons, food webs, and habitats beneath the waves. While set in the Pacific, similar changes occur in the Atlantic also. The “For Creative Minds” learning sections features and “Ocean Food Web Card Game.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607180180
Publisher:	Arbordale Publishing
Publication date:	05/10/2007
Series:	Ocean Seasons , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	NC610L (what's this?)
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ron Hirschi (Ocean Seasons) lives on a small island in western Washington and walks the beach most days of the year. As a biologist, he also spends much time on the water, learning about and helping salmon and other aquatic fish and wildlife. As an author, he brings the excitement of what he learns onto the pages of books for young readers. Ron has written over 50 children’s books. His books have been listed as Best Science Trade Books of the year, and won the John Burroughs Nature Book among other awards. Several of his books have been featured on Reading Rainbow. In addition to writing, Ron enjoys working directly with kids and takes them outside during his many school visits. They net fish to study water quality or search for frogs and salamanders in small ponds. They also study ocean life and it was on a trip to the beach with a group of elementary students that he got the idea for this book. Ron helped to raise the funds to purchase a tidal wetland that is now an environmental learning center and critical habitat for endangered salmon. His book, Salmon, remains a fund raiser for this (Nick’s Lagoon) project.

Kirsten Carlson is fascinated by animals and nature. Her background in biology, scientific illustration and design has given her the tools to share stories about the natural world through illustration. She believes illustrating children’s books are a wonderful way to connect others to nature. Prior to illustrating Ocean Seasons, Kirsten illustrated The Giraffe Who Was Afraid of Heights, also published by Sylvan Dell. Kirsten lives in Gig Harbor, Washington near the shores of Puget Sound.

Editorial Reviews

Unfurling the observation that seasonal cycles aren't solely land-based phenomena, veteran naturalist Hirschi sails readers from one spring to the next along the northern Pacific coast. His text offers brief commentary on Carlson's clear-toned, full-spread marine scenes-of kelp being eaten by urchins, which are in turn eaten by sea otters; of plankton blooms, salmon runs and seabirds; of humpback whales feeding on schools of small fish, turning southward when the surface temperature cools to calve in tropical waters, then returning northward "as sea plants begin to spread their sparkling growth once again." Two spreads of fact "cards" (reproducible from the publisher's website for cutting out) add further value to this excursion into the natural world. (Picture book/nonfiction. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews

"It's a nicely written and illustrated introduction with some unique features, especially the hands-on activity. - School Library Journal

From the Publisher