A Sea within a Sea: Secrets of the Sargasso
Gr 3-5-"Portugese explorers named this sea `The Sea of Grapes' when they saw the fields of seaweed full of golden global shapes." These globes and leaves of seaweed fill several blue expanses in this poetic introduction to the Sargasso Sea, best known to children for that segment of it called the Bermuda Triangle. Heller's rhythmic, rhyming commentary on the history, geography, and animals of this "sea within an ocean" emphasizes scary aspects. Sea creatures show their terrible teeth and swallow ships and humans in the more dramatic views. Double-page spreads feature gold or tan fierce fish that blend with the seaweed and others of the black inky ocean bottom with fish outlined in white and shaded in rusty pastels. From fanciful views of brightly colored sailing vessels to a final cartoon view of a gentleman savoring a plate of eels, this is a quick pass over sunken ships, repeated masses of seaweed, and monstrous and more benign animals. There's only the barest reference to the mysterious disappearance of ships and planes, and no concluding notes are offered to expand the minimal information. Broadly sketched maps on the first and last pages show the location of the Sargasso Sea and the Bermuda Triangle. A few references will be vague for children, but some readers will enjoy the innuendoes of monsters and mystery.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, BostonCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.