A class of school children meet at the beach to clean up the trash — dirty bottles and cans, empty food containers, plastic bags, and old tires. A sea captain tells them to listen to the sea and they learn about the numbers of beings that live there. But the sea is also sad since many of the fish die because of pollution of the waters.
The ocean does us many favors — helping create weather, keeping the air clean — and it is only right and fitting that we should do her a favor by cleaning up after others. After the kids pick up and bag all the trash on the beach, they go for a boat ride and pull more garbage out of the ocean. "The sea is better now," the captain tells them.
These Seas Count, for children from Kindergarten to Second Grade, is written by Alison Formento and illustrated by Sarah Snow. This picture book that also teaches the numbers 1 - 10 as it makes a good case for the connections between children and the welfare of the ocean and the fish and birds and plants that live there. Saving the oceans is a noble pursuit and one which ought to be the goals of all citizens.
Review to be posted soon.