Sea Bones

Barner returns to the calcified subject matter of Dem Bones (1996) and Dinosaur Bones (2001), this time exploring the bones (and lack thereof) of undersea creatures like sharks, whales, and jellyfish. A loose rhyme (“A coral reef sparkles on the ocean floor./ Made from the skeletons of those that lived before”) and Barner’s brightly painted paper collages carry readers swiftly through the pages, but the real information is tucked into captions that discuss the animals in greater detail (“Cartilage is lighter and more flexible than bone, which helps sharks swim fast”). A collaged chart that lets children compare the skeletons and diets of eight sea creatures wraps up this bone-deep tour of the briny deep. Ages 5–8. (Apr.)