 | Dive, dive into the night sea Author: Lu, Thea | |
| Price: $14.99 | ||
Summary:
Swooping manta rays. Vibrant coral reefs. Sleeping whales. And in the deepest darkness, a display of bioluminescence, swirling like a constellation of stars. These and other wonders await discovery in an arresting and atmospheric picture book, rendered in a poetic narrative and with artwork that makes striking use of muted color and light.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (09/15/24)
Booklist (+) (10/01/24)
The Hornbook (+) (00/11/24)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 10/01/2024 *Starred Review* In Lu’s richly evocative illustrations, shadowy forms move through dim waters around a diver who ventures into “inky depths” that initially seem lifeless but quickly turn out to be anything but. First, a headlamp illuminates fish hiding in the crags of a reef from a prowling moray eel. That same dim light reveals fluorescent corals glimmering in the shadows and also attracts smaller swimmers from the darker reaches, drawing a dramatic rush of manta rays that feed on them. After turning off the lamp for a moment to reveal a swirling constellation of bioluminescent plankton, the diver swims for the moonlit surface, and the lamp beam falls on the immense flanks of a cluster of sperm whales hanging vertically in sleep. Beneath a series of artfully fitted gatefold flaps, Lu expands on her simply phrased reactions to each new wonder by identifying the creatures swimming in and out of view while adding, for instance, comments about the “mucus sleeping bag” parrotfish make each night for protection or about how tiny zooplankton rise each night to feed and then retreat below in “one of the greatest migrations on the planet.” “The world of the night sea,” Lu writes, “is like a beautiful dream,” and readers who accept this lyrical invitation to join her there will feel likewise. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
