Review Detail

Vivi's love for science is great to see, and there are a number of other books in this I Can Read series, some involving Vivi, and some with Cece and Libby as main characters. STEM related books are in great demand, and are a good way to encourage children, especially girls, to investigate different areas of science. I was surprised at how very detailed the information about the swim bladder was, but it was also well explained and easy to understand for early elementary school readers. The pictures and examples help visually represent the concept well. The spacing of the text and pictures is particularly helpful, with shorter lines of text located directly under the picture of the concept being explained, instead of in one clump at the bottom of the page.

The illustrations are brightly colored and appealing, with lots of blue for the water, but with bright pops of yellow in Vivi's clothing and various fish. Ms. Cousteau and the scientist are women of color, and Vivi and her classmates represent a variety of ethnicities, although there is nothing in the text that specifically states any cultural connections.

If my land locked middle grade readers are any indication, marine biology is fascinating to a lot of children, and emerging independent readers will enjoy tagging along on Vivi's field trip. Pair this was books like Mihaly's Water: A Deep Dive of Discovery, Lawler's Oceans of Love, and National Geographic Kid's Ultimate Ocean-Pedia, but be prepared to make a swim bladder out of a ballon and a small glass bottle. It's the plastic tubing that you'll need to find in advance, since I know I don't have any lying around the house!