Australian Sea Life
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley October 31, 2019
Author Matt Chun
Distributor: Hardie Grant Egmont
ISBN: 9781760504694
Publisher: Hardie grant Publishers
Release Date: Ocotber 2019
Website: https://www.hardiegrant.com/au
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Australian Sea Life, the companion to Australian Birds, is a most beautifully illustrated and researched non-fiction book created for children of all ages. Matt Chun has selected a wide variety of Australian sea life to discover on the pages of his new book, which are accompanied with his absolutely captivating illustrations.
Commencing with the greatly misunderstood and feared Great White Shark, one of the most predatory fish in the world, the detail of the illustration creates an almost a predatory smile on the face of the Great White, showing off the many, many rows of teeth. The text is set out in easily understood language detailing much about the Great White, its habitat and habits.
A far more lovable species is the Copperband Butterfly Fish found in tropical waters and on coral reefs. They love their own company, enjoy hunting for food with their long snouts and have a wonderful system of stripes with which to confuse their predators.
Coral in spite of the lovely illustrations, is nowhere as lovely as it would seem, as Coral can sting their prey, feeding on small fish and plankton, but in the right conditions can live for hundreds of years.
Soldier Crabs get their name because they walk forwards, not sideways like their fellow brethren, have rounded bodies tinted a distinctive blue, long pale, skinny legs, with bands of deep purple at the joints and hunt in large troops!
Weedy Sea Dragons would rate up there as cute, but strangely enough are not such terrific swimmers, needing to use their tails to anchor themselves in place.
With his gloriously rich illustrations, Matt Chun has made discovering science very easy for children who are just beginning to show an interest in creatures of the sea, encouraging a desire to discover more about the wonderful world in which they live.