EARTH WEEK Picture Books: Two OCEAN SOUP Titles

 I'm pushing forward to feature two or more outstanding picture books daily during EARTH WEEK. That's an ambitious pace for me, but the theme is very time-sensitive and urgent.  I launched this effort in yesterday's post about two titles by a creative pair, the Pumphrey brothers. I urge you to check our their books and their illustration process in that post, HERE.  

For today's post there are two books with the same main title, which may sound surprising but is actually fairly common. BOTH are titles OCEAN SOUP, and both have helpful subtitles that clarify their content. BOTH are worthy of notice during this week of appreciating and protecting our planet. The first is OCEAN SOUP: TIDE POOL POEMS, written by Stephen R. Swinburne and illustrated by Mary Peterson.

CHARLEBRIDGE, 2010

 

For today's post there are two books with the same main title, which may sound surprising but is actually fairly common. BOTH are titled OCEAN SOUP, and both have helpful subtitles that clarify their content. BOTH are worthy of notice during this week of appreciating and protecting our planet, and BOTH deserve our attention all year long. The first is OCEAN SOUP: TIDE POOL POEMS, written by Stephen R. Swinburne and illustrated by Mary Peterson.

Swinburne is a reliable rhymer with a cheeky tone that resonates with kids. He is also a talented photographer whose photos have been featured in many of his other books. In this case, he could certainly have produced jaw-dropping images, but the colorful and slightly cartoonish art invites engagement across a wide age range, and also allows for focus on key features of various animals without exaggeration or fantasy fudging the facts.

This is the older of the the two titles, but the poems are timeless and the topic of tide pool inhabitants is rarely explored in such accessible format and form.  parallel text content appears on each brilliantly illustrated double page spread. In each case Swinburne has written a brief but dense poem that directly informs readers of a tide pool inhabitant's patterns or habits or other distinctive traits. The voice and perspectives vary, always in first person perspective but ranging from cheeky to sensitive to comical. ON the same page a brief informational passage provides biological and environmental content related to that species and its place in the ecology of tide pools. For those who live in or near a tide pool habitat, this will be a fun and familiar extension of what is already known. For the MANY who live nowhere near an ocean tidepool, this is an invaluable introduction to the ways in which habitats can be ephemeral and yet essential to the cycles of sea life and food chains. From plankton to lobster to octopus, the range of creatures and their distinctively unique lives invite further investigation. A few pages of back matter include glossary, author note, and resources that include print and links to reliable sources.

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, 2021

The second title is OCEAN SOUP: A Recipe For You, Me, and a Cleaner Sea. It is written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Lucy Semple. In rhymed narrative verse the reader is introduced to the idea that the pollution of our oceans (waters in general) are a "soup" of generations of contamination, mainly by plastics. 

Young readers can readily envision plastic bags, bottles, straws, and other discarded items can and do endanger ocean dwellers as well as making the waters seriously unappealing and damaged. In fact, during Earth week AND BEYOND it is a valuable exercise to engage kids in beach and water and field and urban space clean-up campaigns. 

What this book points out clearly, though, is that there is no real AWAY when it comes to plastic. Bury it, it stays. In ocean gyres it breaks down into micro-plastics that make their way into all  lifeforms, including us. I recently read that it is estimated most of us (in developed countries) consume the amount of plastic in a credit card, WEEKLY! To combat the endless increases in this relentless contamination of the waters of our lives, specific steps that humans can take are suggested. These include ones that are possible for the very young. This is mentioned within the narrative text, and described in simple but specific suggestions in the back matter. It is an eye-opening read for kids and adults, with practical advice and encouragement to learn more and act soon and steadily to reshape our communities and protect out planet.

For older readers seeking more detailed content on this topic, presented with clarity and accessible science, check out PLASTICUS MARITUMUS: AN INVASIVE SPECIES, reviewed by me HERE. 

As I so often mention in writing about picture books of any kind, for any age. My hope for the future is in the youth of today, but leaving it all to them is both unfair and unconscionable. My hope is that by sharing these books we may mobilize several generations of activists in defense of our planet. 

Stay tuned, more imporant titles coming sooner than usual!