Sea Secrets: Tiny Clues to a Big Mystery
A unique children's book proposes to link two pelagic oceanic ecosystems; a coastal upwelling biome in the southern sector of the California Current system and the polar waters west of the antarctic peninsula. These two ecosystems provide an ideal setting to investigate the interplay between the ocean environment and its plankton inhabitants.
This book invites young readers (ages 5-10) to explore ecological concepts relevant to ocean ecosystems both locally and internationally. It will examine two of the most abundant species of krill, Euphausia pacifica and Euphausia superba, and the unusual life challenges they face in their respective environments. The exploration of the animals they impact, their lives, habitats and survival strategies holds inherent fascination for young readers and teaches them about the interconnectedness of organisms in the ocean's food web. Drawing upon rich scientific research from CCE and Palmer LTER, photographs and illustrations will combine to illustrate the pelagic food web above and below the equator, emphasizing the impact of the foundation species 'krill'.
A children's book emphasizing the long-term process of science is a unique medium
to communicate the elements of ecological research. Research for the book is a multi-step
process involving the identification of resources and themes, input from scientists,
coordination of materials and extensive collaboration between participants. CCE's
Education and Outreach Coordinator Beth Simmons is organizing these efforts, bringing together
Mary M. Cerullo - an award-winning author of more than a dozen children's books -
and freelance illustrator Kirsten Carlsen, who combines science, art and design to
communicate stories about the natural world. This children's book is a cross-site
synthesis project advancing ocean literacy and marine science education.
Other books in the childrens book series
My Water Comes From The Mountains
The story of My Water Comes from the Rocky Mountains, written by environmental educator Tiffany Fourment,
takes children on an illustrative journey from the snow high on the Continental Divide to water in their
faucet tap. The book is illustrated by Dorothy Emerling and was edited from the first edition by Lindsay
Weber and Kenneth Nova. This educational narrative introduces children in the Rocky Mountain states to
the distinctive wildlife, ecosystems, and diverse uses of water along the way from the mountains to
the plains.
The Lost Seal
The Lost Seal children's story, written by Antarctic scientist Diane McKnight, describes the first documented
encounter with a live seal in the remote McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. This educational story tells of
one seal's travels in the Antarctic desert and provides an engaging framework for conveying how different
Antarctica and the Dry Valleys are from the environments with which children are familiar.