Children's Book Review: Marine Science for Kids by Bethanie Hestermann, Josh Hestermann, Stephanie Arne

.Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge,from Chicago Review Press, via Edelweiss, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it,  all opinions are my own.

Synopsis:

Do you ever dream of being a marine explorer or adventurer? Are you a fan of cool, cute, or creepy creatures? Then here’s some good news: some of the coolest, cutest, and creepiest creatures live in Earth’s oceans and other watery places.

Marine Science for Kids is a colorful, fun, photo-filled guide to exploring our underwater world. In these pages, you’ll delve deep into the science of aquatic study, including geology, chemistry, and biology in both salt- and freshwater environments, and gain insight into the real-world practice of aquatic science. You’ll discover how and why oceans move, and learn the answers to questions such as “Why is the ocean blue?” You’ll meet cool creatures, including sharks and rays, penguins and other seabirds, whales and dolphins, squids and octopuses, and many more. You’ll uncover some of the most pressing challenges facing marine environments and find out how you can use your talents to make a difference. Real-life marine scientists share what inspires them every day and provide insights into their exciting careers. Hands-on activities in each chapter make learning fun.

Kids can: make an edible coral reef; explore marine camouflage; construct a water-propelled squid; test methods of cleaning up an oil spill; experiment with ocean acidification; and much more.

Review:

Looking for a way to bring more education to your kid's Summer break, but in a fun way that gets them EXCITED? Then this is the book! 

While the book can also serve as a resource book, it's a great way to teach your kids over the Summer months to love all aspects of the ocean, and its inhabitants. The book really breaks down the different aspects of marine education-taking the student from a study of water itself, into the ocean, to its geology (top and bottom), and then its inhabitants! Issues affecting the ocean and its animals are also discussed, as they should be. Miss Grace and I both liked how it then went into different marine science fields, including research, showing kids what  possible career options could be, something that most kids aren't aware of! 

The book included great diagrams, illustrations and photos, to really help kids follow the text and understand the topic at hand. it also includes a bibliography and timeline that can help you use the book as a primary text, is you wanted to use it for home schooling during the school year as well. We'll definitely be using it over the Summer as an added curriculum choice. Once you check it out, you'll want to use it too!

About the Authors:

Josh and Bethanie Hestermann are the coauthors of Zoology for Kids. Josh is a senior mammologist at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. He has also worked as a keeper at Brookfield Zoo and Phoenix Zoo, a wildlife researcher studying marine mammals, and a presenter and educator. Bethanie is a wildlife and conservation blogger and the founder of WordZoo Creative LLC. They live in Southern California. Check out their website for more info and activities: http://www.zoologyforkids.org

Stephanie Arne is the host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and the founder of the Creative Animal Foundation.