Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Format is the star in this series. Blue-shaded covers and blue-highlighted pages suggest the environment of the subjects. Appealing pages generously sprinkled with color photographs and art combined with short chapters encourage reading. Perspective is what sets Extreme Dive apart from other works on this unique continent. While most stick to Antarctica's icy surface and the ocean surrounding it, Matsen follows divers deep into the watery environment. There they observe the pollution caused by human-produced waste. W. John Hackwell's Desert of Ice (Scribner, 1991; o.p.) and Laurence Pringle's Antarctica (S & S, 1992) offer equally colorful looks at the lives of researchers studying the continent and the flora and fauna they encounter. Both also reveal some of the impact humans have had on this pristine environment. It is difficult to fill a complete book with information about a creature that has never been seen alive. Giant Squid begins with what little is known or surmised about the elusive beast from old tales, dead specimens, other types of squid, and the contents of sperm whales' stomachs. The chapter that describes preparations for dives by Dr. Clyde Roper, squid expert, is somewhat anticlimactic, since no giant squids were ever sighted. The final chapter offers some hope of eventual success. There are many books on octopuses. Yet even works like James Martin's Tentacles (Crown, 1993; o.p.), which discusses 10 different varieties of squid, does not even mention the giant squid. Matsen's work begins to fill a gap in knowledge of cephalopods.-Ann G. Brouse, Steele Memorial Library, Elmira, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Scientist Clyde Roper has devoted his career to finding a living giant squid to no avail. Along the way he has found many clues about where these elusive creatures might be found. In a choppy text and average-quality photos, Matsen discusses Roper's search and the work of other scientists who have discovered unusual deep-sea animals. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
