Let's Find Out! Marine Life

Marine biology is both essential and inspirational to human life. The bodies of mollusks in particular allow them to live aboveground, underwater, or both, depending on the species. Readers will learn about the unique contribution oysters, squid, and slugs, all of which are different classes of mollusks, make to their habitats. Their diets, their vulnerabilities, what they leave behind, and what threatens them take shape on pages that depict what mollusks are through both stunning photography and highly organized prose.

Invertebrates make up more than 90 percent of all living beings on Earth, and underwater, their diversity is apparent. Sea invertebrates include crustaceans, mollusks, jellyfish, and a host of other sea creatures that are integral to marine ecosystems and have important uses for humans, too. This colorful, photo-packed lower elementary title introduces readers to the most common sea invertebrates. Compare and Contrast boxes encourage readers to identify what traits these animals share and what makes them unique. Vocabulary boxes define difficult terms, and Think About It boxes invite readers to think critically beyond the text.

Many animals live in water, but only some can be defined as fish. Twenty-eight thousand species of fish exist, each with different characteristics. Readers from grades one through four will learn that fish have a distinct impact on their ecosystem and will see how fish survive when well-adapted to an uncompromised environment. Beautiful photographs demonstrate the great diversity of fish and accompany intellectually stimulating explanations of their varying roles and traits. From page to page, what a fish is unfolds in vocabulary call-outs, insightful questions, and relatable compare-and-contrast examples.

Learn what helps a mammal survive the depths of the cold, populous oceans. Examine the adaptive features and diets of marine mammals, and explore their distinct methods of reproduction and nurturing. Learn about climate change and its risk to marine mammal and environmental preservation. Vocabulary call-outs throughout the title, along with a separate glossary after the main text, will help improve the language skills of readers, while thoughtful and comparative questions create connections between other types of animals. Stunning photography coupled with research-focused content combines for an experience that will give readers a greater understanding of our world.

Plants and algae form an important basis of all marine ecosystems. They provide nutrients to animals that eat them and also create oxygen for humans and animals to breathe. This academic lower elementary title covers the diversity of marine plants and algae that exist as well as the processes they undergo to grow and thrive. Photosynthesis is explained in easy-to-understand language, as is the role of plants and algae in food chains and food webs. Finally, the importance of sea plants and algae-and threats to their existence-is addressed in a timely discussion on global warming.

The crustacean subphylum can be broken down into decapods, amphipods, copepods, and other types. This title offers readers from grades one through four comparisons between the needs and roles of different crustaceans, which will allow readers to understand the subphylum's importance. Readers will recognize and expand their knowledge about familiar species like the lobster and the shrimp, while being introduced to the likes of the wood louse and zooplankton. Dynamic photography and methodically organized information will help readers examine the many sizes, types of limbs, and other features of this diverse group.