Monsters of the Deep

The deep-sea “monsters” in this interactive book spring to life by positioning augmented reality “action cards” in front of a webcam. In addition to the book’s digital component, photographs, sidebars, and charts provide detailed descriptions of the habitats, predation, and endangered status for such animals as the giant Japanese spider crab (which can grow to 12 feet, from pincer to pincer), whale shark, manta ray, and blackdevil angler fish. Though the emphasis is on science, a few lurid descriptions (“The cocktail of poisons in a box jelly sting causes muscle cramps, damages nerves, and eats through skin, leading to terrible pain, paralysis, and heart failure”) should help hold readers’ attention. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)