Down Down Down by Steve Jenkins

Down Down Down by Steve Jenkins

My Thoughts:

Jenkins starts at the surface of the ocean. He goes deeper and deeper, telling about the animals and plants that live at every level.

I liked the book, but I thought the text would be too challenging for the primary students at my school.

I was wrong. This was an unequivocal favorite among the young children to whom I read this book. We had a large group of children of both kindergarteners and first graders and they all unanimously loved it. The pictures kept them enthralled. I read bits of the text here and there, and, though I’d anticipated that the text would be daunting for the children, I was wrong. They seemed to follow it well. I can only surmise that the vivid pictures and the movement of the book, going deeper and deeper down into the ocean with every page, kept them going.

A Sample:

“Near the surface the water is warm and brightly lit by the sun. Light-loving plants, algae, and bacteria---most single-celled and too small to see with the naked eye---are found here in uncountable numbers. Almost all life in the sea depends on these microscopic organisms, which use the sun’s energy to help them manufacture their own food. They themselves are food for billions of animals….”

Children’s Comments:

Sheridan, 6, said, "I liked the last page."
Shelby, 7, said, "I liked the part where it got darker and darker."
Jacobe, 6, said, "I liked the very end."
Edwin, 6, said, "I liked the sharks."
Ariana, 7, said, "I liked the dolphin jumping in the water."
Kali, 5, said, "I liked all the neat creatures."

Children’s Ratings: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5