Bibliography: Simon, Seymore. CORAL REEFS. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books. 2013. Print

 

ISBN: 9780061914959

 

 

 

Seymour Simon plunges the reader into the mesmerizing world of coral reefs.  This vivid photo essay takes you on a surprising journey through topographies of the underwater world of coral reefs. It explains what a coral reef is; how they form; where they are found and how they evolve into one of the most complicated and fascinating ecosystems on Earth.  It also includes facts about the various other animals that consider coral reefs their home and touches upon the environmental challenges that this sensitive ecosystem faces due to human interference with our environment.   

 

Critical Summary:

This book is designed to emerge you in a new world.  The full page color photographs immediately capture your imagination and invite you to read the text.  The large black text against the white background communicates the subject matter concisely, and it complements the vivid eye catching photographs.  Additionally, Simon uses just the right amount of technical vocabulary so as to introduce young readers to a basic understanding of coral reefs.             

This book follows a logical layout in which the text and the full page photographs complement each other.  Thus, this book does not have to be read from cover to cover.  However, it is attractive and short enough to be read this way.  The book has an index page to help the reader locate the specific information they may be looking for.  Additionally, it has a glossary of terms to help the reader understand the text.  

“Seymour Simon may well be one of the most prolific authors of nonfiction for children, with over 250 books published on a great variety of science topics recognized with an abundance of awards and recognitions” (Vardell, 2008, p. 249).  The information in Coral Reefs was carefully researched and the photographs were clearly meticulously chosen for their wow factor. On the bibliographic page Simon cites all of the photographs according to page number.  Additionally, on the last page several websites about coral reefs are also cited so that readers can continue their study of coral reefs.        

Activities:

Science: Invite students to create a Venn Diagram in order to compare and contrast salt water ecosystem to fresh water ecosystems.
                

Students can create a coral reef food web.

Social Studies: Invite students to investigate the effects of pollution on marine ecosystems.

Art: Students can create a panorama of coral reefs, including appropriate labeling. 

Writing: Ask students to write a persuasive narrative about the importance of protecting the ocean, from their sea creature’s point of view.

Recommended books by Seymour Simon:

• Oceans
• Whales
• Sharks

*(Simon has written more than 250 books for young readers)

 

Reviews:

Simon has been luring kids into science for years through simple, informative texts on interesting topics ranging from systems of the human body to the reaches of space, all lavishly larded with brilliant color photos. Here he opens a window into the watery world of the coral reef, providing facts on a variety of corals and on some of the critters that make these reefs their homes. He includes information on the environmental changes challenging the very existence of these sensitive biomes, from global warming to toxic runoffs from the shore to mining coral for construction use and for use in the souvenir industry. A brief glossary and several websites for further investigation complete this eye-catching and rewarding package. -Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library. (Excerpt from School Library Journal, 2013)

Taking readers underwater to explore coral reefs, Simon provides basic information about this gigantic community of living things.  Often remarkably clear, the book’s many large color photos offer striking views of coral reefs and the life they support. In some shots, it’s difficult to get a sense of scale, but even those photos serve well to illustrate points made in the text. Well organized and lucidly written, this book gives readers an eye-catching introduction to coral reefs. -Carolyn Phelan (Excerpt from Book list, 2013).

References:

Vardell, Sylvia M. Children’s Literature in Action A Librarian’s Guide. London: Libraries Unlimited, 2008.