How the Sea Came to Be

Starred review from March 1, 2023
Geology, oceanography, biology, and 4.5 billion years of evolution--in quatrains. Riveting illustrations and text depict the shaping of Earth's surface, the formation of seas, and the emergence of life and complex biodiversity. In four-line "ballad" stanzas (four-beat, mostly iambic, alternating with three-beat, mostly anapestic, lines) that will make for a rollicking read-aloud, Berne traces the surprising steps from molten lava to teeming organisms. It might seem unlikely that verse could convey eons of dramatic development with scientific accuracy, but that happens here--with very few slips of rhyme or meter. And as impressive as Berne's achievement is, it is gloriously overshadowed by Hall's luminous art, rendered in watercolor, gouache, pencil crayon, pastel, and digital materials. Microscopic, tiny, merely big, or gigantic, the life forms Hall painstakingly depicts are neon, candy-colored, or pale; smooth, ribbed, or spiky, but always stunning. Capricious as fantasy but true to nature's incredible reality, they are imaginatively displayed and vividly or subtly tinted. The sea creatures are not labeled, but by looking closely readers can find all that are mentioned--and there are extensive resources for further exploration. An ode to undersea life with visuals that beg to be animated, just as the text begs to be sung. (author's and illustrator's notes, ocean creatures over time, key terms and concepts, recommended resources, selected bibliography) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2023
Berne's (On the Wings of Words, rev. 5/20) history of Earth's oceans and the evolution of marine life is presented as a poem in three parts: the formation of the oceans from Earth's early volcanic and atmospheric activity; the first emergence of life within the oceans; and the diversification of life in the seas to what we see today. The rhyming stanzas are impressive, filled with words and cadences that are entertaining to read aloud, and yet also precise in conveying scientific concepts about geological and biological processes. "So to the ocean came all kinds of life -- / fantastic, surprising, and new. / Step by step, bit by bit, they evolved in the sea. / And life grew, and life changed, and life grew." Hall's (Out of This World, rev. 3/19) mixed-media illustrations balance creative use of color and scientific accuracy: portraying the fiery black and orange landscapes of the young planet, the steamy grays and whites of the emerging ocean waters, and then the beautiful blues of the ocean across millions of years and down hundreds of meters. Extensive back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator on their research, detailed profiles of some of the species featured in the illustrations, additional resources and terminology, and a creative foldout timeline of Earth's history that is linked thematically to the concepts and illustrations in the book. Danielle J. Ford

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from May 1, 2023

K-Gr 4-Covering billions of years of Earth's history, Berne skillfully traces the origins and evolution of the oceans and oceanic life through poetic rhyming text, sparing readers from excessive jargon while allowing millenia to fly by. The text alone is excellent, but pushing the book into the realm of extraordinary are Hall's enveloping watercolor, gouache, pencil, pastel, and digital illustrations. From scenes of dark volcanic origins to the stormy gray-flooded seas, the pages convey the excitement and volatile climate of a very young Earth. Once life enters the picture, readers are transported into an Escheresque world of seemingly alien early life forms. Eventually, the book arrives at an ocean life familiar to most readers, but Hall treats them to a vision that requires them to turn the book vertically to truly understand the depths that deep-sea creatures inhabit. Very detailed end notes and further resources provide a good jumping-off point for more ocean exploration. VERDICT From the moment readers open this book and see its beautiful, frenetic endpapers, it's clear they are in for a fantastic journey into the depths of the ocean. A first-purchase for all collections.-Kadie Seitz

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2023
Berne's (On the Wings of Words, rev. 5/20) history of Earth's oceans and the evolution of marine life is presented as a poem in three parts: the formation of the oceans from Earth's early volcanic and atmospheric activity; the first emergence of life within the oceans; and the diversification of life in the seas to what we see today. The rhyming stanzas are impressive, filled with words and cadences that are entertaining to read aloud, and yet also precise in conveying scientific concepts about geological and biological processes. "So to the ocean came all kinds of life -- / fantastic, surprising, and new. / Step by step, bit by bit, they evolved in the sea. / And life grew, and life changed, and life grew." Hall's (Out of This World, rev. 3/19) mixed-media illustrations balance creative use of color and scientific accuracy: portraying the fiery black and orange landscapes of the young planet, the steamy grays and whites of the emerging ocean waters, and then the beautiful blues of the ocean across millions of years and down hundreds of meters. Extensive back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator on their research, detailed profiles of some of the species featured in the illustrations, additional resources and terminology, and a creative foldout timeline of Earth's history that is linked thematically to the concepts and illustrations in the book.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)