Wild Waters Photo Journal

Gr 6 Up—This personal collection of stunning, full-color photographs highlights unique underwater habitats and the life found in select natural communities around the world. Full spreads provide either an overview of an ecosystem, e.g., Komodo National Park or Bali in Indonesia, or a signature animal, e.g., the great white shark at Guadalupe Island, Mexico, or a dwarf caiman in Brazil. Sparkling close-ups highlight such individual traits as the open jaw of an American alligator with its rows of menacing teeth, and the accompanying texts succinctly describe unique features of the wildlife pictured. The brown-and-tan torpedo ray looks innocuous but may discharge an electric shock of 200 volts if provoked. The male jawfish incubates the female's almost-translucent fertilized eggs in its mouth for about a month. Threats to these creatures' habitats and their vibrant life include destructive fishing techniques used by subsistence-level people living nearby. The photo of a reef reduced to rubble by homemade bombs used to stun and kill the fish is haunting in its stark portrayal of environmental destruction. The photographs are compelling by themselves and beautiful to browse. This book informs readers and gives them a deeper understanding of the ever-present threats to the ecological diversity and beauty of the planet.—Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA