A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters

September 21, 2015
Franco and Wertz follow A Curious Collection of Cats and A Dazzling Display of Dogs with another entertaining grouping of concrete poems, this time focusing on undersea life. Most of the poems highlight a single animal: “Fairy-tale creature,/ ancient traveler,/ tiny dragon,/ underwater question./ What tales/ do you have/ to tell us?” reads a poem about a seahorse. On another spread, animals occupy a pie chart to create a “Reef Food Chain”: “The shrimp at the reef nibble algae all day./ A shrimp is what octopi munch./ An eel finds an octopus tasty and fun/ and makes it her mid-morning brunch.” Rendered in vibrant blues and oranges, Wertz’s bold, graphic compositions playfully call to mind posters one might see at a seaside festival. Ages 7–11. Author’s agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary.

August 1, 2015

K-Gr 3-A dazzling compilation of concrete poetry that highlights marine life, this book lives up to its title. Franco's delightful rhymes and rhythms bring to life the sights and sounds of the sea, while Wertz's vibrant illustrations enhance the poetry and set the tone effectively. The playful design makes the selections appear to swim across the page. However, the text is often difficult to read due to the font and color scheme, which may deter beginning readers. All the same, the poems are enjoyable, and more experienced readers will appreciate the concrete poetry format. VERDICT A great addition.-Ellen Norton, Naperville Public Library, Naperville, IL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015
In their third picture-book outing, Franco and Wertz (A Dazzling Display of Dogs, 2011, etc.) dive into the sea. A sunny day provides the perfect entree for a poetic snorkeling trip revealing dozens of aquatic organisms illustrated through Wertz's vivid depictions of Franco's concrete poems (with the occasional limerick, cinquain, riddle, and haiku tossed in). Where the duo's last effort rather literally threatened to "dazzle" the senses, here Wertz's striking palette of blues, indigo, orange, reds, and yellow, showcased in richly detailed images and undulating lettering, effectively captures the sea's dynamism. Franco spotlights interesting fish and other creatures one might glimpse during a dive, highlighting vital aspects of oceanic life cycles and special characteristics of organisms sure to pique a child's interest. The "Spiny Puffer" is cleverly likened to a porcupine, and "Cleaner Fish" are "wary of fish with sharp white teeth, / so cleaner fish are wise. / They've found a way to get along, / help out, and harmonize. / They clean the teeth of scary fish / who'd eat them / otherwise." Young and old Nemo devotees will delight to find among Wertz's wavy orange fronds Franco's revelation as to "why clown fish hang out in the anemones"-it "poison[s] all your enemies"-and other engagingly rhymed facts. At once light, visually playful, and educational, Franco and Wertz's latest collaboration proves the third time's a charm. (Picture book/poetry. 6-10)

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September 1, 2015
Grades 1-3 This exploration of marine animals around a coral reef is a clever blend of eye-catching pictorials and jaunty concrete poems. Here, words curve, slant, or spike within each space, underscoring the information given in each poem, such as the way that the mysterious sea horse's curving tail ends with a question mark, or the way that the words describing the frogfish, a master of camouflage, are themselves camouflaged in the frogfish's coral hiding place. Readers follow two teen snorkelers, a boy and girl, as they explore the crowded sea underworld, starting with schools of fish and moving through an assortment of exquisite and downright weird-looking creatures, 19 in all, including jellyfish, needlefish, stingrays, octopuses, and spiny puffers. The snorkelers also swim to the coral reef, which contains an acrostic with a sustainability message. The information-packed illustrationsconsisting of digital collage, monoprints, and screen printsare bold but busy, often making the text difficult to read. Still, this book's playful design will likely make a splash among young readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)