INTO THE A, B, SEA by Deborah Lee Rose

Bibliography:   

Rose, Deborah Lee. 2000. INTO THE A, B, SEA.  Ill. by Steve Jenkins.  New York, NY: Scholastic.  ISBN 0439096960 

Plot Summary:   

Readers follow the alphabet from A to Z and see ocean creatures for each letter.  The beautiful artwork created by Jenkins draws the viewer in with warm ocean colors that are very soothing and pleasing to the eye.  Readers can learn interesting facts about each animal from the book’s “More About the A, B, Sea…” section that is full of clear and factually correct information.   

Critical Analysis:   

Into the A, B, Sea meets the highest standards on many levels.  This wonderfully colorful book is full of accurate information for children to learn about animals built around the alphabet, using it as a guide through the ocean and its animals.  Readers are invited to dive into the ocean “where Crabs crawl in…”, then the reader can find out more information in the back of the book in the “More about the A, B, Sea…” section, where they can read more about “Crabs Crawl In”.   

This text has a logical layout as it uses the alphabet as its guide.  This makes the journey through the ocean fun and interesting for readers.  The design is very attractive and inviting to the viewer, as well as being enjoyable to the reader as the book progresses all the way to “Z”.   

Rose’s passion and enthusiasm for the ocean and its animals within it is clear.  She has created a research tool for children that will make learning fun, sparking their curiosity with each turn of the page.

Reviews:   

·        Kirkus:  “Vivid collages combined with sprightly verse offer readers a glimpse into the fascinating world of the deep.  Older children…will enjoy the challenge of identifying the animals alphabetically while the artwork provides a luminous introduction to marine life.”

·        Saffron Tree:  “…this oceanic adventure showcasing exquisite sea creatures using simple rhyming sentences.” 

Connections:  Age Level:  3-8 

·        Before Reading:  Introduce vocabulary words

·        Ocean Unit: 

o   Animals

o   Habitats

o   Food/Hunting

o   Prey/Where they are on the food chain

·        Art:

o   Students create their own ocean pictures, inspired by Jenkins’ book cover and pages within.