214. Down Down Down by Steve Jenkins

This was an unequivocal favorite among the young children to whom I read this book. We had a large group of children of both kindergarteners and first graders and they all unanimously loved it. The pictures kept them enthralled. I read bits of the text here and there, and, though I’d anticipated that the text would be daunting for the children, I was wrong. They seemed to follow it well. I can only surmise that the pictures and the movement of the book, going deeper and deeper down into the ocean with every page, kept them going.

A Sample:

“Near the surface the water is warm and brightly lit by the sun. Light-loving plants, algae, and bacteria—most single-celled and too small to see with the naked eye—are found here in uncountable numbers. Almost all life in the sea depends on these microscopic organisms, which use the sun’s energy to help them manufacture their own food. They themselves are food for billions of animals….”

Children’s Comments:

Down, Down, Down

Sheridan, 6, said, “I liked the last page.”

Shelby, 7, said, “I liked the part where it got darker and darker.”

Jacobe, 6, said, “I liked the very end.”

Edwin, 6, said, “I liked the sharks.”

Ariana, 7, said, “I liked the dolphin jumpking in the water.”

Kali, 5, said, “I liked all the neat creatures.”

Children’s Ratings: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5,