Here Is the Coral Reef - (Web of Life) by Madeleine Dunphy (Paperback)

About the Book

Set in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, this lyrical rhyming tale introduces young readers to some of the coral reef's most striking residents. From the sleek shark to the colorful parrotfish to the deceptively beautiful sea anemone, each creature in this abundant undersea world relies on another for its existence. Beginning with coral, the very element that defines this ecosystem, Madeleine Dunphy uses a cumulative approach, combining simple yet forceful verse with repetition to reveal the fragile chain that links each of the plants and animals in this unique environment. Tom Leonard's vibrant paintings capture this miraculous circle of life.

Book Synopsis

Using cumulative verse, this picture book introduces children to the sea turtles, moray eels, sponges, parrotfish and remoras that are all part of the coral reef ecosystem, while giving young readers an understanding of the interdependency of life in this ecologically diverse environment.

Set in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, this lyrical tale introduces young readers to some of the coral reef's most striking residents. From the sleek shark to the colorful coral cod to the deceptively beautiful sea anemone, each creature in this abundant undersea world relies on another for its existence. Beginning with coral, the very element that defines this ecosystem, Madeleine Dunphy uses a cumulative approach, combining simple yet forceful verse with repetition to reveal the fragile chain that links each of the animals in this unique environment. Tom Leonard's vibrant paintings capture this miraculous circle of life.

Other Books in the Series: HERE IS ANTARCTICA, HERE IS THE AFRICAN SAVANNA, HERE IS THE ARCTIC WINTER, HERE IS THE SOUTHWESTERN DESERT, HERE IS THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, and HERE IS THE WETLAND. Free downloadable activities can be found on the publisher's website.

Review Quotes

Named an "Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children" by the National Science Teachers Association and Children's Book Council

Selected as a "Reading Rainbow Book"

"Set beneath the coral sea of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, this forceful cumulative rhyming tale introduces some of the striking residents of the coral reef ecosystem.... The artist varies perspectives, giving viewers the impression that they are not only underwater at level with the reef's inhabitants, but sometimes at tooth level."
--Kirkus Reviews

"[T]his vibrant, idealized picture of the southern hemisphere reef will grab and hold the attention of young viewers."
--School Library Journal

"This vividly illustrated book presents the interdependence of the various inhabitants of the ecosystem that is Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The repeating verse style will engage young readers as they gain an appreciation of the plants, fish, and other sea creatures that live in and around the reef."
--Science and Children