Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Ocean Alphabet Book
Illustrator: Frank Mazzola Jr.
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 4 to 8
Charlesbridge Publishing, 1990 ISBN: 978-0881064520
The North Atlantic does not have the diversity of animal species that you might find on a coral reef, but it is still an area where animals of all kinds live. Some of the animal species found here are of great value to humans. There is the bluefish, which is highly prized by sports fisherman because “they love to fight.” Commercial fisherman look for cod, haddock, squid, tuna, lobster, and swordfish, which they sell so that we can enjoy our fish and chips, boiled lobsters, and other delicious seafood meals.
In addition to these animals, there are creatures that live in shells like quahog clams, periwinkles, and scallops. These animals don’t need to find or build a home because they are enclosed inside protective shells.
In this interesting picture book, Jerry Pallotta uses an alphabet book format to tell us about some of the species of animals that are found in the North Atlantic. For each letter of the alphabet, an animal is described, and throughout the book the text is complimented by colorful illustrations. Children will like the clever entries that the author has created for the letters X and Z.
