The Sea, the Storm, and the Mangrove Tangle
Grade 1-3–Using a beautifully balanced format that combines panoramic illustrations with a storylike narrative, Cherry imagines the life cycle of a mangrove over a period of more than 100 years, from propagules (sprouting seeds) to a single tree to a tangle (a cluster of trees) to an island. As the unusual tree slowly increases in size, it sends out dozens of visible prop roots that anchor it to the sea floor at the edge of a Caribbean lagoon and becomes both shelter and food source for an amazing array of living things. Richly hued watercolor-and-colored-pencil paintings show birds, fish, and sea creatures in sufficient detail to allow for easy identification. The endpapers feature maps of mangroves around the world surrounded by borders containing a small, labeled painting of each species. An introduction and author's note explain the importance of mangroves to their ecosystem and encourage their preservation. Although Cherry has chosen to anthropomorphize a few of the animals by including snippets of conversation, the information is well researched and clearly presented, and the lesson in ecology is an important one.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.