Hotel Deep: Light Verse from Dark Water
Grade 3-5–Untitled verses describe a colorful array of ocean creatures, both benign and dangerous, observed by a lone sardine searching for the swirling band of companions that he lost when the school spun out of the range of an invading marlin. "Where did everyone go?/One sardine. Apart. Alone./Welcome to the Mystery Zone." The handsome, busy views convey mystery with clever placement of creatures–some unnamed, some partially hidden, some more realistic than others. Though the sardine is mostly a passing observer, his continuing presence lends a bit of story line to the energetic scenes of underwater life. Moments of fear and danger thread throughout. "Life in the sea offers little that's free;/There's always a devil to pay." There's plenty to see and ponder though some oblique references and the sometimes mocking tone will elude many children. A thumbnail picture-glossary names some 28 species of marine life but provides no explanations or added information. Overall, this is a cheerful tour for browsers that also offers possibilities for shared reading.–Margaret Bush, Simmons College, BostonCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.