Who Needs a Reef?
A Coral Ecosystem
by Karen Patkau
Random House of Canada Limited
Tundra Books
Children's Nonfiction
I love these Karen Patkau books. They're well written--lean sentences with zip:
"Crunch, crunch, crunch." A parrotfish munches on the algae-covered corral. Sea snails graze on it, too....
A triggerfish pokes at a starfish that is prying open a clam.
The books are also well illustrated and explained. How does a coral reef form? What kinds of plants and animals thrive in this peculiar yet teeming ecosystem? How do nutrients and energy flow through the system? What kind of climate impacts it? How do reefs protect beaches and harbors? What can damage a reef? How do reefs improve human life?
The books also include a glossary and further explanations for the inhabitants that occupy the coral reef ecosystem.
These books are sure to enthrall the special science nerd near and dear to your heart in your home or classroom.
