This has to be the most fun way to learn about giant squids ever! This colorful, pick your own adventure style book is fun, beautiful, and educational all at the same time.
Follow a diverse array of characters on our expedition team through the whole process of getting out to sea to send a submersible, or in this case, a human-occupied vehicle (HOV), which, just as the name indicates, brings people down to the deepest parts of the ocean. The book begins by using wonderful graphics with comic book style word bubbles to introduce the big concepts such as the ocean zones, different underwater vehicles, parts of a submersible, and a fun but educational section on what to pack.
The real adventure begins when you get to choose your pilot based on their different skill sets. Next, the reader gets to choose between two different kinds of submersibles. Again, the options are laid out with each machine’s strengths and weaknesses. There are always trade-offs, so a tough decision must be made. Finally, your dive site must be chosen from three completely different parts of the world. Readers get to explore the ocean and discover all kinds of other creatures, such as a paper lantern jellyfish or a firefly squid. The author has included fun facts about these other beings, how parts of the submersible work, and realistic problems that pilots could run into on one of their dives.
The back of the book includes a list of common names for sea creatures as well as their scientific names, a glossary, recommended books and resources, and a bibliography. It’s great when non-fiction works include their research sources so youngsters can begin to understand how many different sources were used to bring a book like this together.
This is an incredible book. It will surely inspire any child to want to study more about the ocean. The fun variety of page layouts and creative ways information is dispersed throughout the pages makes this book engaging and exciting. It doesn’t feel like you are reading a big book of facts; it’s laid out as if you’re discovering the ocean just like a deep sea diver would.
Overall, this is an outstanding book. I haven’t read a children’s non-fiction book that is this much fun to read through in a long time. Young readers will surely finish up this title, delighting that it’s an ongoing series.
Search for a Giant Squid: Pick Your Path (Science Explorers)
By Amy Seto Forrester
Art by Andy Chou Musser
Chronicle, 2023
ISBN: 9781797213934
Publisher Age Rating: 6-9
NFNT Age Recommendation: Easy Readers (5-9)
