National Geographic Kids First Big Book of the Ocean

This addition to the First Big series, which introduces wild animals and scientific concepts, focuses on ocean habitats. Large type, crisp photographs of animals in action, informative sidebars and bursts, and interactive prompts all help young readers easily follow along. Each of the four chapters is devoted to one of the world’s oceans; a half dozen to a dozen animals are spotlighted within each chapter, including Pacific orcas and the giant oceanic manta ray of the Indian Ocean, among many others. Throughout, the straightforward text underscores the idea of the ocean’s diversity: “There are about 5,000 species of sponges. They come in many shapes, colors, and sizes.” With subjects ranging from perennial favorites like dolphins to critical links along the ocean food chain such as Antarctic krill, Hughes delivers a solid resource to add to a child’s learning library. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)