Did you know that oceans cover over 70% of the surface of Earth? The Daniel Boone Regional Library will explore “Oceans of Possibilities” this summer, encouraging readers to learn more about the many animals and plants found in oceans and the impact oceans have on our lives. For instance, did you know that besides providing a means of trade and transport, oceans also help with climate regulation? Our Summer Reading program is free and includes versions for all ages, even adults! Sign-up begins June 1. Dive into these books about oceans and marine life.

For ages birth to five

One of my favorite books is “I Want a Boat!” by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon. A girl uses her imagination to turn a box into a boat that sails out into the world. She and her stuffed animal friends encounter a storm, but find their way home in time for supper. Pair this with the classic “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak and you can have a conversation about traveling places in your imagination. The possibilities are endless.

“Somewhere in the Ocean” by Jennifer Ward is a variation on the classic children’s song “Over in the Meadow,” counting animals in the ocean. Learn about clownfish, hermit crabs, tiger sharks, jellyfish, manatees, sea turtles, octopi and more.

For ages five and older

Take a look at the beginning-to-read book “Sink or Float” by Kimberly Derting. Vivi and her classmates visit an aquarium where they see a variety of sea creatures and learn about an organ called a swim bladder. It helps a fish sink or float. Instructions for a science experiment that illustrates the concept are included.

“Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere” by Barb Rosenstock is a well-researched children’s picture book that could be of interest to all ages, even adults. Through this beautifully illustrated story, you learn about Otis Barton and Will Beebe who, in 1930, were the first humans to see live creatures in the ocean depths. The two men helped make further deep-sea exploration possible.

“Dive In: Swim With Sea Creatures at Their Actual Size” by Roxie Munro explores a coral reef and its inhabitants through vibrant life-sized illustrations and interesting facts. It includes a folded section that opens up to illustrate the size of a reef shark. This is another book that may interest all ages.

For preteens and teens

For those who prefer their reading in graphic novel format, I recommend “Sharks: Nature’s Perfect Hunter” by Joe Flood from the Science Comics series. It is filled with information about different types of sharks, their biology and behavior and their relationship to humans. The illustrations are comic book-style art.

“Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean” written by Patricia Newman includes photographs by Annie Crawley, a certified master scuba instructor. The book visits three different areas above and below the seas, profiling people and animals, and discussing environmental changes and their effects. There are QR codes printed in the book that take you to videos of student divers, sea creatures, pollution and more, adding information and bringing the sea to life.

For Adults

You may want to check out “Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the World Under the Sea.” In easily accessible bites, with colorful, accurate drawings, Julia Rothman provides information about ocean food chains, the anatomy of various sea creatures, coral reefs and the ocean floor as well as how people affect the ocean. Because of its sketchbook-like format, this book also appeals to teens. It touches briefly on a wide variety of topics, so it may inspire you to learn more about a specific subject.

I’ve suggested mostly nonfiction books, but the topic “Oceans of Possibilities” can cover all kinds of fiction also. How about a romance on a cruise ship? A mystery on the sea? Or historical fiction about immigrants traveling to the United States on a boat. Or if pirates are of interest, you can check out these books about piracy. Whatever you enjoy, I’m sure we can help you find something to read this summer. Come in and see us!

Unlike climate change itself, the propensity for writers to gravitate to the subject is natural. Among the seemingly endless range of problems the world must address, it is the one that towers over all others, the one that will, barring dramatic changes in how the world operates, render all others insignificant in the face of rising seas, prolific wet-bulb temperatures (a combination of temperature and humidity that renders the body unable to cool down and therefore unable to not die), mass extinction, food chain collapse, etc.

It’s easy to understand why so many writers are compelled to address the subject, but perhaps it’s not as intuitive why a reader would want to read fiction about it. Perhaps reading such novels will inspire action, and perhaps those actions will help. But also, most of us read fiction for pleasure, and these books, while often horrifying, are also massively entertaining. If something’s going to render massive swaths of our planet uninhabitable, the least it could do is inspire some entertaining fiction.  Continue reading “Literary Links: Climate Lit”