Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Prepare to traverse subterranean soil and sink to watery depths in this richly informative, oversize double-ended picture book. Divided in two, this encyclopedic volume explores underground curiosities in one half and underwater marvels in the other and converges at the deepest points of both: the Earth's core and Challenger Deep, the nethermost region of the Mariana Trench. Through succinct snippets of text and spreads as sweeping as they are specific, each section introduces distinctive creatures (from the star-nosed mole to the Dumbo octopus), critical scientific inventions (the tunnel boring machine, the world's first submarine, the diving suit), and entirely groundbreaking discoveries. Both the Dreadnoughtus schrani, the most complete titanosaur skeleton to date, and the remains of the Titanic, for example, unfold in dazzling 21-inch-tall double-page displays. While paneled diagrams break down more elusive processes (such as the evolution of a sinkhole), crisp cross-sections of electrical wiring or mineshaft mechanics illustrate the human consumption of natural resources. Infectious, vibrant, and instantly accessible, these mixed-media illustrations are playful, too; one cross-section of a house exposes an enthused bather. As almost every flip of the page offers a fresh topic, readers are encouraged to pore at their own pace. A thoroughly dynamic examination of the wonders of our world, this one's a wonder in itself.--Shemroske, Briana Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The team behind Maps returns with an engrossing dive into parts of the world that often go unseen. Reading the book from one end, readers explore what lies beneath the Earth's surface. Pages open vertically to show animal burrows, plant and tree roots, underground utilities, archaeological finds, and more, all labeled and clearly explained with captions and arrows. Once readers reach the middle-the Earth's core-it's time to flip the book over and read about aquatic life (including some up-close looks at the enormous eyes of the blue whale and colossal squid), coral reefs, and sunken vessels like the Titanic. Through accessible cartooning, the husband-and-wife duo brings a light, playful touch to topics like water pressure, plumbing, and fossilization. Readers will feel like scientists and explorers with each page turn. Ages 7-9. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Using a mix of brief text and detailed illustrations, this large-format book provides an informational feast. It is designed to be opened vertically like a calendar so that pages are flipped upward. As a result, readers get a sense of the great depths shown and the size of people, animals, and objects in relation to their environment. Half of the volume deals with underwater features, and when the title is turned over and opened, the other side looks at what's underground. Together, these two parts offer a fascinating dip into earth science. Readers learn about underwater chimneys, the Mariana Trench (the deepest known point on earth), and giant creatures of the deep, in addition to a variety of burrowing animals, tunnel-boring machines, and the world's deepest caves. While the spreads are attention-grabbing, they also clearly communicate data in a number of ways, through labels, cross sections, cutaways, and sequenced processes. VERDICT Students will return to this work again and again. Consider for injecting life into introductions to earth science.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York © Copyright 2016. 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
In this oversize, vertically oriented book, readers encounter science concepts, locales, and creatures in and around lakes and oceans; and, from the book's other end, in the shallow underground and deep center of Earth. Although the spreads' topics are a hodgepodge (buoyancy, sinkholes, diving suits; edible roots, sewage, subways), the intricate illustrations, filled with flow-chart-like graphics and neatly labeled specimens, encourage extended examination. (c) Copyright 2017. 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.
