The Octonauts and the Great Ghost Reef (Octonauts, The)
The eight cuddly underwater explorers from The Octonauts and the Sea of Shade (2007) take a vacation to the Great Reef City only to discover the wondrous reef ecosystem has become bereft of both life and color. They learn that coral is actually made up of thousands of little creatures, and the buildings built on top of the reef have strangled them of sunlight. Even if children don’t quite respond to the gentle socio-environmental message of learning to live in harmony with one’s surroundings, the anime-inspired artwork and oodles of minute details bubbling around each page will have them deeply immersed in the fantastical undersea world. Grades K-2. --Ian Chipman