Category Archives: Book Reviews

Children’s Book Review: On Kiki’s Reef by Carol L. Malnor and illustrated by Trina L. Hunner

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Cherilyn Jose

On Kiki’s Reef (Dawn Publications, 2014) is a delightful children’s picture book about the life cycle of a sea turtle. Along the way, Kiki meets animals on a coral reef. This book is aimed at lower elementary school grades (4-8 … Continue reading →

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Children’s Book Review: If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Cherilyn Jose

If Sharks Disappeared, is written and illustrated by Lily Williams, and published by Roaring Brook Press. It is a much needed book about sharks. There are numerous children’s books about sharks, but not many show sharks in a positive light. … Continue reading →

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Book Preview of “If Sharks Disappeared” and Interview with Author Lily Williams

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Cherilyn Jose

I was excited to come across this four minute long animated documentary, FINconceivable, about what happens if sharks disappear from the oceans. It is by Lily Williams and I would like to share it with you. link to FINconceivable I … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Manatee Rescue by Nicola Davies

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Cherilyn Jose

“Manatee Rescue” by Nicola Davies (Candlewick Press, 2015) is a middle grade (grades 4-8) children’s book about a rescued baby manatee in the Amazon. In the backmatter, we find out that this book is based on a true-life story. There … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Tilikum’s Dream by Tracey Lynn Coryell

Posted on January 7, 2017 by Cherilyn Jose

Tilikum’s Dream (Eifrig Publishing, 2015) is a rhyming children’s book about Tilikum, a killer whale, who recently died (January 6, 2017) in his concrete pool of 21 years at Sea World. It is written by Tracey Lynn Coryell and illustrated … Continue reading →

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Moana Movie Review-Is it Appropriate for Young Children?

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Cherilyn Jose

“Moana” is a coming-of-age story of a girl from a South Pacific island called Motunui. She is the daughter of her village’s chief. She is chosen by the ocean (and guided by her grandmother) to return the green stone heart … Continue reading →

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Finding Dory Movie Review by a Marine Biologist

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Cherilyn Jose

Finding Dory was an immensely enjoyable movie, exactly what I expected from a Pixar/Disney movie. The short animated film shown before the movie, “Piper,” (about a baby shorebird) is worth the price of admission alone! Don’t miss it! I genuinely … Continue reading →

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Book Excerpt Part 2-Ocean Country by Liz Cunningham

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Cherilyn Jose

Ocean Country: One Woman’s Voyage From Peril to Hope in Her Quest to Save the Seas is available in independent bookstores now or at We spent four more days like that, looking for whales, watching them on the surface, and … Continue reading →

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Book excerpt: Part 1 of Ocean Country: One Woman’s Voyage from Peril to Hope in Her Quest to Save the Seas by Liz Cunningham

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Cherilyn Jose

Ocean Country: One Woman’s Voyage From Peril to Hope in Her Quest to Save the Seas is available in independent bookstores now or at “…With genuine emotion and great pragmatism, Cunningham makes passionate pleas for the continued health of the … Continue reading →

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Children’s Book Review-Larry the Lazy Blue Whale

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Cherilyn Jose

Children’s Book Review of Larry the Lazy Blue Whale by Burt Kempner Larry the Lazy Blue Whale: A Mild Wild Story by Burt Kempner is a children’s book about a blue whale making his way to his winter feeding grounds. … Continue reading →

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Zale’s Tales-A Children’s Book Review

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Cherilyn Jose

Zale’s Tales is a children’s book written and illustrated by a husband and wife team under the pen name of Everett Taylor. Zale’s Tales follows the adventures of a boy who picks up a special pearl on the beach. Instantly … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Cherilyn Jose

Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly is a mermaid book. There are spells, tails, fancy clothing, houses underwater, animals as pets, and anemones as beds. This blurb from the inside cover perfectly sums up the book: “Serafina, daughter of Isabella, Queen … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Atlantia by Ally Condie

Posted on November 25, 2014 by Cherilyn Jose

Despite that the blurb from this fiction book makes it sound like it is about mermaids, it isn’t truly. It is a tale of humans living underwater once the air “Above” got too polluted. It is also a story about … Continue reading →

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Review of Mission Blue Documentary about Dr. Sylvia Earle

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Cherilyn Jose

On August 15, 2014, Netflix began streaming a biographical documentary on Dr. Sylvia Earle called “Mission Blue.” Sylvia is the pre-eminent oceanographer of our time. She has logged over 7,000 hours underwater, and even walked beneath the ocean untethered to … Continue reading →

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Book Review “The Death and Life of Monterey Bay” by Stephen Palumbi & Carolyn Sotka

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Cherilyn Jose

I just came across this in my notebook, written 3 years ago! The review is a relevant today as it was years ago, though. Here’s my book review: “The Death and Life of Monterey Bay: A Story of Revival” was … Continue reading →

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