Secrets of the Deep

A unique treat awaits children who open the vibrant aquatic cover of this ingeniously designed book. A number of pages hold thin, clear plastic envelopes filled with water; inside these envelopes are plastic fish and other ocean dwellers that can be made to move around by applying pressure. The reader views the marine life--through the clear plastic--against such colorfully illustrated habitats as The Seashore, The Coral Reef and, lastly, The Mysterious Deep. The simple yet vivid text offers the basics of the oceans' geography, and discusses predators and prey, biological oddities (flounder, hammerhead sharks), symbiotic relationships (moray eel and cleaner fish), sharks and whales. This wondrous--and wondrously executed--``readable toy'' is not overly fragile; but after all, if by some chance the pouches should be punctured--it's only water. This book truly reaches new heights--that is, depths--in children's entertainment. Ages 6-10. (May)