In the Deep Dark Deep

Price follows Earth Space Moon Base with another improbable escapade as the Guppy%E2%80%94a deep-sea capsule piloted (as before) by a human, a monkey, and a robot%E2%80%94embarks on a mission to find out why the sea has gone dark. Throughout, realistic detail alternates cheerfully with bonkers science (the sea has gone dark, they discover, because a giant eel has sucked up all the starfish), all cast in sturdy verse. In a series of undersea scenes, dark swirls of ocean currents are shot through with bursts of teal, lime, and magenta. The story's faux suspense is leavened with gentle humor, such as when the ship passes an undersea circus troupe featuring clownfish, a mussel weightlifter, and a seahorse carousel. Cinematic views mean that readers can see the threats that menace the ship before its occupants do. There's a wealth of action and a boatload of imaginative energy as Price lets ever-loopier ideas rise to the surface: "Releasing gas from their scuba tanks,/ they create an almighty... burp!" A sequel that improves on its predecessor in every respect. Ages 3%E2%80%937. Agent: Isabel Atherton, Creative Authors. (Aug.)