Charlesbridge Publishing, June 2022
Reviews
Publishers Weekly
In their lyrically told follow-up to Flying Deep, Cusolito and Wong delineate various technologies used for underwater exploration, starting at the ocean’s surface before heading deeper via a survey of methods and equipment. A light-brown-skinned child and parent on a snorkel outing start things off, before the narrative moves into free diving, scuba, saturation diving, atmospheric diving suits, and, finally, deep-sea submersibles. Descriptive, often alliterative text sits opposite expository sidebars featuring abridged facts, figures, and dangers for each technology (“Anyone who knows how to swim can learn to snorkel. There isn’t much danger involved”). A collective first-person narration lets readers imagine themselves as explorers (“We’re ocean detectives/ solving the mysteries of the deep”), while realistic, digitally rendered illustrations ferry them to the depths. Largely unlabeled depictions of fascinating underwater creatures, including giant tube worms, should pique interest about what lies below the waves, even as the book’s focus remains solidly on the technologies of exploration. A summarizing spread reveals each technology at various depths; an author’s note, glossary, and resource list conclude. Ages 5–8.
Children's Literature
From the cover illustration depicting a deep sea diver in a submarine, ocean enthusiasts will be drawn to this book. This informational text opens with the question, “What drives humans to dive into the sea and sink deeper than the last inkling of light?” This book provides readers with a journey through the sea complete with in-depth information such as definitions of certain deep sea terms, historical facts, examples of different types of diving, and much more! For instance, “An Exosuit is a wearable submarine that flies through the water.” With its beautiful illustrations, this companion book to “Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible ALVIN,” will be a fan favorite for elementary readers interested in ocean exploration. Elementary teachers and librarians will find this book beneficial for students researching deep sea diving and ocean exploration as well. This title could also be used as an informational text in ocean studies and units.