Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea - by Steve Jenkins (Paperback)

About the Book

Nonfiction author-illustrator extraordinaire Steve Jenkins takes readers on a picture-book-perfect voyage from the top of the ocean to the bottom for an amazing look at a fascinating array of sea animals.

Book Synopsis

Half the earth's surface is covered by water more than a mile deep, but most of this watery world is a mystery to us. In fact, more people have stood on the surface of the moon than have visited the deepest spot in the ocean. Come along as we travel down, down, down, from the surface to the bottom of the sea. Along the way you can see jellyfish that flash like a neon sign, creatures with teeth so big, they can't close their mouths, and even a squid as long as a bus, which battles to the death with a sperm whale, the largest predator on earth. It'll be a journey you won't soon forget! Award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins delivers another masterful collection of fascinating facts and amazing art.

Review Quotes

"In this plunge into the deep, Jenkins displays his usual keen awareness of what is fascinating about biology and imparts it without sensationalism--the facts speak for themselves . . Sophisticated cut- and torn-paper collage-work fit the alien qualities of the subjects well; it's equally at home capturing the tiered needlepoints of lizardfish teeth as it isdelivering an impressive and illuminating display of bioluminescence."--Booklist

"Browsers will be delighted by the variety of species, shown in their appropriate colors although not to scale. Backmatter provides some information about the animals pictured, including sizes compared to a human body or hand, although the bibliography does not seem to include the sources used for those facts. Once again, Jenkins provides an almost irresistible entry into our natural world for the youngest readers."--Kirkus Reviews

"Jenkins takes his signature collage to the oceans, sinking readers from the surface of the Pacific Ocean down nearly 11,000 meters to the bottom of the Marianas Trench. His style works well here: with passage into each zone (from the surface to the sunlit zone to the twilight zone, etc.), the blue backgrounds shade darker and murkier, which allows the intricate cut-paper animal illustrations to pop."--Horn Book

"Depicted in Jenkins's signature handsome collages, the denizens of each level swim against ever-darkening backgrounds ranging from sunny blue to deepest black . . . The bold views tend to emphasize the weirdness of these little-known species, but the repeated message that humans have much to explore and learn in the deeper ocean is intriguing and inviting."--School Library Journal

"Through the almost magical use of cut paper, Jenkins takes the reader on a voyage from the surface to the sunlit shallows to the very bottom of the sea."--New York Times Book Review

"A must for any geography or natural history collection, this will be a great preparation for an aquarium visit or any discussion of ecology. More than that, however, it manages to convey the fact that most of our world is very, very different from what we experience, and that there may be nothing so strange and wonderful as our own planetary home."--The Bulletin, starred review

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About the Author

Steve Jenkins has been awarded a Caldecott Honor, a Boston Globe Horn Book Award, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year designation. He lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife and frequent collaborator, Robin Page, and their children. Visit his website at www.stevejenkinsbooks.com.