The Big Book of the Blue

Did you know that one bluefin tuna could fill 5,500 tins? Or that krill generally eat plants, but in extreme circumstances can eat each other? Or that a seal can hold its breath for up to two hours underwater? If not, then Yuval Zommer’s wonderful book about all things fishy (and ocean-y) is here to help.

Each double-page spread has a different theme, covering whales, dolphins and seals, as well as some more unusual picks such as pufferfish, rays, crabs and dragonets. Zommer also considers different blue environments, such as rock pools and the oceanic abyss, as well as looking at the dangers to our seas from overfishing and plastic pollution.

Unusually for nature non-fiction, the Big Book series (this is the third, after Beasts and Bugs) has a gentle sense of humour, presenting digestible facts, ideal for lower primary children, with a light-hearted twist. The illustration is fun and beautifully done, too.