Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Ocean Babies
Illustrator: Hiroe Nakata
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
National Geographic Children's Books, 2005 ISBN: 978-0792266693
The world's oceans are full of all kinds of baby creatures and though they are very different from us, they are the same in that they all grow up. Some of the babies are tiny, while others are as "big as a bus." Some of the babies can swim from the moment they come into the world, while others have to be taught. Some of the babies look like their parents, while others look quite different.
This fascinating lyrical trip into the underwater world of ocean babies shows the reader how there is something which connects us all, one way in which we are all alike whether we are the child of a human or the child of a whale. Its message of belonging and being connected to other creatures is warm and reassuring. We also learn a great deal about the lives of ocean baby animals by looking at the watercolor illustrations and by reading the highly informative end notes provided by the author.
